


You're Going to Want to Remember This

by Sotheylived



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, F/M, Soulmates, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-04 05:56:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4127518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sotheylived/pseuds/Sotheylived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Season 3b canon divergence). Emma and Henry thought they could escape the curse taking everyone back to the Enchanted Forest, but one year later they wake up in the loft with no memories after saying goodbye at the town line.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Eighteen year old Emma Swan always thought that if she was ever pregnant again she’d have her shit together. Thirty year old Emma Swan knew that for her at least, there was no such thing as having shit together.

  
Three days ago she had woken up remembering nothing other than saying goodbye at the town line and had promptly begun to vomit. Waking up with the urge to throw up once she’d attributed to feeling sick, twice a coincidence, but waking up three mornings in a row – well let’s just say she caved bought a pregnancy test.

  
She had been sitting on the edge of the tub for the last half hour, staring at the two pink lines for so long that they’d gone blurry. Pregnant, she was pregnant again. So not only did she have to deal with whatever mystery threat erased the last year of their memories and brought them all back to Storybrooke, but with a pregnancy and unknown father as well. All this left Emma with one question, what the hell happened last year?

* * *

  
_One year ago_

Emma watched the smoke engulf the town as they drove across the town line with tears in her eyes. Her last thought before they hit the town line was a wish that they could remain together. Then in the moment it took to blink an eye, they were back in the Enchanted Forest.

  
Emma helped Henry to stand and looked around confusedly. “What happened?” she asked, looking at Regina.

  
With a cry of happiness Regina ran to embrace Henry, as Snow followed suit colliding into Emma. Tearful goodbyes were one thing, but reunions were something else entirely, and Emma stood uncomfortably as she was hugged and patted on the back by one person then another.

  
Emma searched for a reprieve and her eyes landed on Hook, standing at the edge of the gathering with a smirk on his face like he knew that she was itching for an escape. Oh god Hook, Emma’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment at the thought of her last words to him – ‘good’ might not be a declaration for many, but both she and Hook knew the weight of the word coming from her.

  
Clearing her throat and prying herself from one (she wasn’t even sure which) of the dwarves’ grip, Emma spoke. “Regina, what happened? Why are Henry and I here?”

  
Regina finally let go of Henry and walked towards her. “I don’t know Miss Swan, maybe you didn’t cross fast enough, or maybe I was wrong about the price. But either way I say we don’t question it.”

  
“I agree,” Snow said, reaching forward and clasping Emma’s hand. “We’re all together and we’re finally home.”

  
There were nods and murmurs of agreement as they began walking towards the queen’s castle, but Emma couldn’t help feeling as though the word ‘home’ seemed a little bit hasty.

* * *

  
_Present day_

“Emma,” Mary Margaret called from the living room, “honey are you alright?”  
No, Emma thought, no I’m not alright. “I’m fine,” she called instead, “be out in a second.”

  
She splashed her face with cool water and plastered on a smile before opening the door. “So what’d you guys learn at the meeting?” Emma asked, knowing they’d probably already found it weird that she opted out of the first meeting about the missing memories in the first place.

  
“Well,” David said as he sat down. “We think that everyone did go back to the Enchanted Forest.”

  
“How do you know?” Emma asked, trying to ignore the churning in her stomach.

  
“There are people who are here that didn’t come over in the first curse,” Mary Margaret said.

  
“Like Robin Hood and his Merry Men!” Henry was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

  
“The only thing we don’t know is how long we were in the Enchanted Forest, it could’ve been a day – it could’ve been years,” David said, ruffling Henry’s hair.

  
Emma knew she had to be at least four weeks along, probably more to be having morning sickness. “Well it was definitely more than a day,” she said before she could stop herself.

  
All eyes in the room turned to her questioningly, and Emma wasn’t sure if it was her paranoia or not – but she could’ve sworn Mary Margaret’s eyes flicked to her stomach briefly.

  
Emma spoke before they could ask her how she knew, “Look at Henry – how much he’s grown, it’s clearly been a while.”

  
They all nodded in agreement and Emma plopped down on the couch pulling Henry down with her. Sitting surrounded by her family, Emma couldn’t help but feel a little excited at the thought of being pregnant before quickly squashing the feeling. She shouldn’t be excited – she was between four and twelve weeks pregnant (judging by the morning sickness and her pregnancy with Henry), couldn’t remember anything that’d happened since that day at the town line, and honestly wasn’t sure who the father of her baby was – and oh god, she could start showing in as early as a week.

  
The fear must have begun to show on her face because Mary Margaret asked her if she was okay again. Emma said she was fine, again, though this time Snow didn’t look convinced, but thankfully let the subject drop.

  
After throwing around some ideas and deciding that they should have everyone gather at the town hall the next day to get a census count and determine if the curse skipped over anyone or if anyone was missing, Mary Margaret suggested David take Henry out to get a hot chocolate at Granny’s. Emma couldn’t help but feel as though it was a ploy on her mother’s part to get Emma alone.

  
Her fears were confirmed the moment the door shut when Mary Margaret turned to her with a determined look in her eye. Mary Margaret went to the kitchen and pulled out a mug and busied herself by making them both a cup of tea. Emma stood uncertainly by the kitchen island, wanting to walk away but feeling like that would be too much of a giveaway.

  
Once they were both seated with a mug in hand Mary Margaret finally spoke. “Okay Emma I know something is up. It’s just me and you now. You can tell me.” She reached out and clasped Emma’s hand. “Whatever it is, you’ll probably feel better once you tell someone.”

  
“I’m pregnant.” Emma blurted, the words bursting forth from her lips without her mind’s consent.

  
A broad smile broke out on Mary Margaret’s face and Emma’s stomach sank. Shit.


	2. Chapter Two

“Pregnant?” Mary Margaret looked _far_ too pleased for Emma’s mental stability. “Oh _Emma_.” She stood up and walked around the table, enfolding Emma into a gentle hug. “That’s so exciting, when did you find out? How far along are you? Who’s the father?”

            Emma looked at Mary Margaret pointedly. “We have no memories since we were at the town line, remember?”

            Mary Margaret’s face fell slightly as realization dawned on her. “Oh, oh sweetheart I’m so sorry, don’t worry we’ll figure this out. We should go to the doctor right now and find out how far along you are.”

            “Right now?” Emma asked, feeling more than a little overwhelmed. “Shouldn’t we be focusing on whoever cursed all of us?”

            “You have to take time for yourself too Emma. Plus finding out how far along you are will help us figure out how much of our memories are missing.” Mary Margaret gasped, “unless, you weren’t pregnant when you were leaving, were you?”

            “No!” Emma said, slightly embarrassed to be talking about this with her _mother,_ it was less awkward if she pretended she was talking to her friend Mary Margaret only, but her mother Snow White on the other hand was something completely different. “Of course not!”

            “Well I don’t know,” Mary Margaret walked over to the table by the door and grabbed her purse. “You and Neal seemed to be getting close at the end there.” Before Emma could say that she and Neal were most definitely not a thing – at least from what she could remember – Mary Margaret continued, “come on, we’ve got to go to the doctor.”

            Emma tried to pretend that the person giving her an ultrasound was someone other than Frankenstein – who also happened to have a one night stand with her mom when they were cursed – and was failing miserably. Mary Margaret seemed oblivious to the fact that the man currently spreading jelly across her daughter’s stomach was a past lover – and was watching the screen with rapt attention.

            “See this right there,” Dr. Whale said, pointing to the center of the screen. “That’s your baby Emma. And from the looks of it, I’d say you’re about 10 or 11 weeks along give or take.”

            Emma was suddenly grateful she was already lying down because if she wasn’t, she probably would’ve passed out.

            “You will probably start showing in a week or two,” he said, apparently oblivious to Emma’s inner turmoil, “and some people can begin to feel the baby kick as early as 14 weeks .” Mary Margaret squeezed her hand excitedly.

            Emma missed everything else he said, words coming in garbled as though they were through an old telephone line. She focused on breathing deeply, in and out, in and out. _She wasn’t in jail this time, she had a support system even if she didn’t know who the father was, she could keep this baby_ – she repeated the positives to herself again and again in an attempt to calm her out of control heart rate. _She wasn’t in jail, she had a support system – oh god she’d have to tell Henry and **her father**_ , she could feel herself on the verge of hyperventilating and forced a deep breath through her nose.

            A few minutes later and they were leaving, with a copy of the ultrasound photo in Mary Margaret’s purse because she’d insisted ( _don’t worry_ , she’d said, _I won’t show it to anyone yet Emma, but you’ll want to have this later_ ). Once they got home Emma had a nice long bath to try to relax before watching a movie with her parents and Henry. She finally was able to relax just before falling asleep with the thought that she could throw herself into catching the latest bad guy tomorrow and ignore the baby (and baby’s father) problem because that was a completely healthy and adult way to handle her problems, yup.

* * *

 

_One year ago_

            Emma appeared to be the only one having trouble adjusting to life in the Enchanted Forest. She missed running water, she missed electricity, and pizza – _oh god_ did she miss pizza. That wasn’t to say that she would rather be alone with Henry in the ~~real world~~ realm without magic, but still she figured she wouldn’t be the only one having a hard time adjusting.

            Even if the native residents didn’t miss the other realm she figured at least Neal and Henry probably would. But no, ever since they had set foot in the Enchanted Forest, they were both thriving. Plus the curse apparently decided that everyone would look better in fairytale dress because she had appeared in the forest with a loose fitted tan dress with a blue cape(that her inner princess had to admit was really cute) that was completely impractical. At least Mary Margaret had promised that as soon as they got to the castle Emma could have a shirt and some trousers.

            Emma grumbled as she trudged behind most of the citizens of the Enchanted Forest on the way to the Evil Queen’s castle – and serious what was her life? She stumbled and almost fell as she got yanked back by her cape, which had gotten caught on a fallen log. She tugged on her cape a couple of times without freeing it and moaned loudly.

            She heard someone laugh from behind her and looked up to see Hook watching her struggle. “Gee thanks for the help,” she lashed out at him, letting her anger at the world find him its target.

             Apparently unperturbed by her mood, with a goodhearted laugh he bent forward and released her cape from its wooded prison. “If it provides amusement love, your pain is a cross I’m willing to bear.”

            Emma rolled her eyes and began to walk again, unable to stop a small smile from forming (which, thinking of it was probably his intent all along). He fell into step beside her.

            “You know love,” he said conversationally, “rather than see me bumbling about in your world, now I get to see you stumbling in mine.” He smiled at her brightly.

            “So you’re sticking around then?” she asked in what she hoped was a nonchalant voice. “Not heading back to your ship?”

            “Well you clearly need someone to show you the ropes in this realm,” he said making Emma huff out a laugh, “and I’m willing to sacrifice myself for the greater good.

“But in all seriousness Emma, I’m staying.” Killian stopped walking and Emma followed suit. He turned and faced her looking at her intensely.  “Why go back to my ship when everything is here?” he asked.

            The moment felt heavy and stretched on into eternity. Before it got too intense Emma turned from him and began walking again. He fell into step beside her and Emma tried to bite back her smile. Maybe the Enchanted Forest had some things to offer after all.


	3. Chapter Three

_Present day_

Trying to get a headcount of all the citizens of Storybrooke was easier said than done. Emma was distracted by thoughts of the life growing inside of her, unable to focus on who was in Storybrooke that hadn’t come with the first curse and who was missing from the first curse, which seemed like it included Neal. Even though she was supposed to be focused on who was missing, Emma couldn’t help but scan the crowd and wonder if one of the men in it was her baby’s father.

            Hook slipped into the back of the hall and Emma felt her stomach flutter. She wasn’t sure if it was because of Hook’s presence, or the baby kicking – and she couldn’t decide which was scarier. For the rest of the meeting Emma was distracted and kept finding her gaze drifting to Hook.

            By the time they ended the meeting Emma was itching to get away from everyone. She booked it out of the hall, but before she could escape fully she felt someone grab her elbow to catch her attention.

            Hook released his hold on her arm when she turned to face him. “What?” she asked a little more sharply than she intended.

            “Sorry to bother you love,” he scratched behind his ear sheepishly and Emma immediately felt a little guilty for snapping at him, “I just wanted to offer my services if they’re required.”

            “Thanks,” Emma said, starting to leave before he stopped her again.

            “And,” he coughed uncomfortably and Emma softened a bit. “I wanted to tell you that I’ve missed you.”

            “Wait?” Emma said, turning to face him fully. “Does that mean you remember the missing year?”

            “No,” Killian ducked his head. “I don’t remember. I meant I haven’t seen you since we all woke up.”

            “Oh, right.” Emma started to walk away again as the fluttering returned to her stomach. “Well I’ll let you know if we need your help. Thanks Hook.”

            She finally turned away from him, but not fast enough because she still saw his face fall.

\--

            Flying monkeys, people were turning into _flying_ _fucking monkeys_ because apparently Emma’s life wasn’t crazy enough. The Wicked Witch of the West was seemingly real and in Storybrooke masquerading as a normal resident. Neal was officially missing, which meant either the curse skipped him over, or he was a flying monkey. And to top it all off, when Emma woke up this morning she could’ve sworn that she felt the baby kick. Soon she was going to have to tell people – other than Mary Margaret (whom she’d made promise not to tell anyone) – that she was pregnant.

 She’d have to tell people like _her father,_ and Henry – _oh_ what in the world was she supposed to tell her son. She was supposed to be a responsible adult, not one who was twelve or more weeks pregnant and didn’t even have any idea of who the father was – well strictly speaking that wasn’t entirely true, she had two ideas of who the father could be, but she wasn’t about to voice either of those suspicions out loud.

            It’d been a week since she visited the hospital and she was pretty sure that she’d have to wear those jeans that never used to fit her because when she tried to put on a normal pair, she couldn’t get the button to close or the zipper up all the way (and totally did not almost have a melt down from it). When she came out into the loft the gang was all already there and waiting for her (including Hook and her stomach definitely did not do a somersault at the sight of him).

            “How are you feeling?” Mary Margaret asked, eyes darting down to Emma’s stomach – and her mother really was _the worst_ at keeping secrets.

            “Fine,” Emma said a little harshly in an attempt to stop that conversation before it got started.

            “We were just saying that we should try to follow the beasts to their lair because it’s probably our best bet of discovering who the witch,” Hook said.

            “Alright, sounds like a plan,” Emma said, grabbing her jacket off the rack (she wore a loose shirt today, but soon – very soon that wouldn’t be enough to hide her swollen stomach). “Why don’t we split off into groups? Henry you go with Regina, Mary Margaret with David and Hook.”

            “Do you think it’s a good idea for you to go by yourself?” Mary Margaret asked with far too much concern.

            “I can take care of myself.”

            “I’m sure she doesn’t doubt that, love,” Hook said, “but another set of eyes doesn’t hurt. How about I accompany you?”

“Fine,” Emma huffed, unwilling to risk pushing it and having Mary Margaret spill the beans.

As they set out to the woods Mary Margaret hung back and grabbed Emma. “Emma,” she said quietly in that tone Emma knew was more Snow White than Mary Margaret, “you’re going to have to start telling people soon. You can’t keep something like this a secret forever, plus do you think it’s wise to go chasing after some witch when you’re three months pregnant?”

“I’m pregnant, not an invalid,” Emma said. “And I’ll tell people soon.” ( _ish_ , _soonish_ she amended silently).

“I’m just saying that it’ll be better coming from you – ”

“You’re not going to tell anyone are you?!”

Mary Margaret shook her head and started walking before the rest of the group noticed them lagging. “You have to tell them Emma, at least tell Henry and your father.”

Emma sighed and trotted to catch up with the rest of the group.

* * *

 

_One year ago_

Emma found Killian outside sitting on the castle steps and plopped down beside him. He offered her his flask silently, watching as she tilted her head back and took a long swig. Emma fought the desire to lean against his strong broad shoulders, choosing to lean forward on her knees instead (more than thankful for the trousers her mother had stashed away in her closet).

They sat together in comfortable silence for so long that Emma began to question _why_ silence next to Captain Hook felt so comfortable. The silence was only broken by the clashing of swords in the training yard and Emma’s uncontrollable laughter; and once she started she seemed unable to stop.

Hook turned to face her with a small smile. “What’s so funny love?”

Emma had to put a hand to her side to stop the stitch from forming. Taking in a couple calming breaths she finally quieted her laughter. “I am drinking rum with Captain Hook on the steps of the Evil Queen’s castle – who by the way is technically my step-grandmother because my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming, and oh apparently Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West is after us for some reason or another and also happens to be Regina’s sister.”

Hook smiled at her and gently took the flask from her hands. “Well I suppose that’s got to feel odd if we were all just fairytales to you growing up and we’re suddenly real people with real emotions and feelings.”

Emma shied away from his too intense gaze on the word feelings and stole back his flask to take another swig instead. “Not that I’m ungrateful for having a family,” Emma said, “but sometimes I just – I don’t know, miss the real world I guess. Where there are no witches or magic curses, just pizza and Netflix.”

“Well you’ll have to teach me about those things once we make it back to your realm.”

Emma turned to stare at him, the slight buzzing in her veins making her want to do something stupid like kiss him. “What makes you think we’ll ever go back there?”

“Because you want to return, and I know you Swan,” The way he was looking at her was setting fire to her blood, “you’ll find a way some day.”

Later she’d blame the surety in his voice for her actions, or the alcohol in her blood, but in the moment she didn’t question it – just surged forward and kissed him. When her lips met his roughly she could practically feel his shock, but he kissed her back. Slowly, changing the kiss from the lustful thing she’d intended (if she was pretending that more than a second’s thought went into the action) into something infinitely softer – sweeter.

When they broke apart Emma had to stop herself from chasing after his lips, and from the smug smile on his face, he knew it. They stared at each other for an infinitesimal moment before she broke out laughing – and okay maybe she was more buzzed than she thought.

Without even knowing the reason why she was laughing Hook smiled too (and she’d be lying if she said that didn’t make her heart swell). “What’s so funny love?”

“I just made out with Captain Hook,” she said, unable to stop the giggles (yes Emma Swan was _giggling_ ).

He leaned forward to brush a piece of hair back from her face. “And what may I ask is the problem with that?”

“Nothing – nothing,” she said stopping the laughter before she hurt him. “It’s just – I don’t know, Captain Hook is a character out of a fairytale, and I’m a real person and it’s just _weird_.”

“Well Swan, you’re something of a fairytale yourself,” _oh god_ the way he said it sent a shiver down her spine and made her want to discover just how real he was. “But if it makes you feel better, Killian will do.”

She bumped her shoulder against his. “Okay _Killian_ , what d’you say we try our hand at making pizza right here in the Enchanted Forest?”

He stood and offered her a hand. She took it with only a moment’s hesitation. “I think that sounds like a fine idea,” he said as they began to walk back towards the castle, and if they didn’t let go of each other’s hands until they reached the kitchens – well, Emma wasn’t complaining.


	4. Chapter Four

_Present day_

Once they reached the edge of the forest, they split up and headed in opposite directions, each pair disappearing into the mist after only a moment. After watching her parents, Henry, and Regina disappear, Emma finally turned to the man standing beside her. With a sigh she led the way into the dense woods.

The grueling pace Emma set was definitely not to discourage conversation, nope definitely not, it was to find the monkeys and their den faster and that’s it with absolutely no ulterior motives. But after twenty minutes or so with nothing other than her breathing to distract her from her thoughts, she decided that slowing down might not be the worst thing in the world. The moment she slowed, Killian spoke.

“Probably for the best to not continue rampaging through the forest Swan, or we’ll scare all the monkeys away before we can even attempt to follow them. Or were we meant to track them? I wasn’t exactly clear on the plan because it’s not as though a flying animal will leave much behind in the way of footprints.”

They’d stopped near what Emma suspected to be the edge of the forest, where the mist and trees both thinned. Emma turned to face him and smirked.

“Been holding that speech in for a while, huh?” she asked. “Cause you know – ”

He held a hand up to quiet her – Captain Hook had the audacity to shush her. What was she, a child? She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind when he clamped his hand down over her mouth and shoved her up against a tree. If she wasn’t so pissed at him for shushing her she might have noticed the way his body was plastered against hers. She was honestly contemplating biting his hand when he dipped his head down to whisper in her ear.

“Don’t even think about it love.”

Choosing to ignore the fact that he knew exactly what she was thinking, Emma was still unsure as to why he had her pinned up against a tree. Not that his hard lean body pressed firmly up against her back wasn’t nice – Emma needed to get a hold of herself, her pregnancy brain was clearly affecting her judgment.

“I heard a monkey’s screech, and I think I heard a woman’s voice a moment after,” he said.

Though the words he spoke were delivered with clinical detachment, Emma could barely focus on the meaning with his body pressed tightly against hers and his breath warm against her ear. _God_ she must have pregnancy brain if she was considering fucking Captain Hook against a tree in the middle of a rather cold and altogether creepy section of the forest ( _but it was not as though she hadn’t contemplated such thoughts before_ a small and definitely unhelpful voice reminded her).

Before she could drown in her own thoughts he stepped back from her and removed his hand from her mouth.

“You could’ve taken your hand away once you explained. I wasn’t going to say anything,” she bit out, feeling a little defensive after letting his proximity affect her so.

“Maybe I wanted to – ”

“I think I see her,” Emma said taking off in a sprint. (Maybe she saw someone and maybe she just didn’t want to hear the end of that sentence, who could say really?)

Hook followed as she ran blindly ( ~~chasing nothing~~ ) through the forest until they reached a clearing and Emma stopped in her tracks with Killian almost knocking her over from behind. There was a farmhouse set far back into the clearing, but the more pressing thing was a woman standing halfway between the house and the woods with a screeching monkey at her side.

Emma couldn’t decide who was more shocked, her or the witch. The plan had been to see if they could find any of the monkeys and where they’d lead them, but at the first whiff of the witch they were supposed to call the others for backup – which it was apparently a little too late for.

“Hey!” Emma called, deciding to go with the ~~over~~ confident approach. “We know what you did,” (well guessed more like, but the witch didn’t need to know that) “so why don’t you just come with us and we’ll see if we can’t work something out.”

The woman touched the dark green pendant around her neck and cackled. “Oh you are a rambunctious one aren’t you? Well Emma if you know exactly what I did I don’t think we’d be here now would we?”

Emma slowly took a step forward, wary of moving too fast and spooking the witch before she could get close enough to catch her. “Well then why don’t you tell me? So far you haven’t done anything you can’t come back from,” (bringing everyone back to storybrooke definitely wasn’t the worst thing in the world) “so why don’t you tell us who you are and why you stole our memories.”

“It’s Zelena, darling,” she said, eyes fixed on Emma as she stalked closer, with her monkey screeching softly at her side. Hook shifted slightly so he stood a half step in front of Emma, “and if I told you _why_ I took your memories then it completely defeats the purpose of taking them in the first place…

“But tell you what?” Zelena’s gaze dropped to Emma’s stomach and Emma had to fight the urge to place her hand there protectively. “I’ll give you a hint. What I plan requires the product of true love.” With a maniacal laugh and a half spin, both she and the monkey disappeared in a cloud of green smoke.

* * *

_One year ago_

Emma didn’t particularly feel like having an audience while cooking, so she was pleasantly surprised to find the kitchens completely abandoned by the time she and Hook arrived. It shouldn’t have been too unexpected, people did _just_ return from a curse after all, but somehow she found it hard to picture a fairytale castle kitchen without a plump woman behind a counter swatting at the skinny kitchen hands. Either way, she and Killian appeared to be on their own when it came to navigating a kitchen that was far less automated than Emma was used to.

“So why don’t you get some flour, sauce and cheese out?” Emma said, suddenly wondering if they’d have to make the sauce and cheese from scratch too, and wouldn’t _that_ be an ordeal.

“Looks like there’s something magic to this kitchen love,” Hook said ushering her over to the cabinet he’d just opened.

Emma had to tiptoe to see above his shoulder, but there neatly lined up in a row was a sack of flour, a mason jar of sauce and a block of cheese as if waiting for her. “I need a grilled cheese sandwich and onion rings,” Emma said closing the cabinet door and reopening it with far too much hope in her voice.

When she reopened the cabinet, there were three sad looking onions sitting on the shelf and Emma tried to hide her disappointment.

“Maybe it only can make things from this realm,” Killian suggested with a small smile, “we could ask your parents later if they know?”

Emma nodded and buried her disappointment as she busied herself with preparing the meal. Killian was struggling to open the bag of flour with his hand and hook, but before Emma could offer her help the bag popped open and flour flew everywhere, leaving him absolutely _covered_ in the stuff. Emma couldn’t help but laugh, and when he looked at her indignantly laughed some more. Suddenly there was a mischievous glint in his eye that had Emma backing away slowly with her hands help up in surrender.

“You think that’s funny do you Swan?” he asked, stalking towards her.

“Kind of, yeah,” she said trying to put the prep table between them.

A second later Killian lunged forward and flung a handful of flour at her. Emma balked and reached into the bag, and before they knew it, it became an all-out war. He wrapped an arm around her and picked her up, holding her away from the seemingly endless bag so he could throw more flour at her – and if the fact that he could pick her up with one arm didn’t send a shiver down her spine, his boisterous full laugh certainly did. 


	5. Chapter Five

_Present day_

“Don’t worry love,” Killian said reassuringly, “if Zelena is planning to use you, she’s clearly underestimated you.”

“I’m pregnant,” Emma said, surprising even herself.

Killian turned to her with shock plan on his face. “Come again Swan, I think I misheard you.”

“I don’t think Zelena was talking about me,” Emma closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “She was talking about my baby.”

“You’re with child?” Killian asked, his face unreadable.

Emma nodded, unable to say anything past the lump in her throat.

“How?” Hook asked, dumbstruck.

“I think you know where babies come from Hook.” Emma knew she was being snippy, but couldn’t find it in herself to soften her voice.

Killian ignored her tone. “Well that’s wonderful news Swan, soon there’ll be little ducklings wandering around.”

“Cygnet,” Emma corrected automatically, “baby swans are called cygnets.”

Killian’s eyes turned soft and his smile gentle and Emma had to look away. “Aye,” he said, “little cygnets.”

“I think Zelena believes that my baby is the product of true love,” Emma said, finally placing her hand gently over the slight swell of her stomach. “and she clearly wants it for something.”

“True love?” Finally Killian looked something other than perfectly calm; his hand was clenched tightly at his side, knuckles white and he dropped his eyes to the ground. “So,” he cleared his throat uncomfortably, “you found your true love then? Do you remember who it is?”

“Obviously not,” Emma said, and cursed herself the moment the words came out so harshly, it wasn’t Killian’s fault and she shouldn’t be taking it out on him. “I have no more memories than the rest of town.”

“Right,” Killian said, and even after her biting tone he was trying – and clearly failing to tamp down a smile.

“What?” Emma said, feeling the corners of her lips tip up involuntarily in response.

“Don’t take this the wrong way love,” Killian said, “but I’m glad to hear you aren’t sure who your true love is.”

Emma opened her mouth to ask him why before quickly clamping it shut. From the way his eyes were boring into hers she suspected what his answer was; something along the lines of him having a chance at being her – she couldn’t even let the thought fully form. Her heart was beating wildly against her ribcage, palms slicked with sweat, and she seemed unable to break away from his intense gaze. Emma felt herself sway closer unconsciously and her eyes were already half closed when she jerked herself away.

“Come on, we should go tell the others we found the witch.”

Killian’s smile drooped a bit and he nodded, walking with her back into the forest.

They walked together in comfortable silence for a while, but as they neared the group Emma almost had a heart attack. She grabbed Killian’s arm and stopped him from moving.

“If you wanted to get closer you only need ask,” Hook said flirtatiously, invading her space a bit and making her almost forget what she wanted to say.

“Don’t tell anyone about – ” she tipped her head down at her stomach, “you know. No one knows yet expect for Mary Margaret.”

Killian reached out and clasped her hand with his. Emma fought the impulse to pull away ( ~~as well as the far stronger impulse to pull him closer and kiss him ravishly~~ ). He squeezed her hand and smiled. “Your secret is safe with me Emma.”

Emma smiled a little nervously at him and walked toward their meeting place. She and Hook joined them in the clearing, and all voices fells silent as every pair of eyes fell on them. It took a moment for Emma to realize they were staring because she was still holding Hook’s hand. Emma promptly let go.

_One year ago_

Regina, her parents, granny, and a couple of the dwarves, Hook and a newcomer named Robin Hood were sitting around the round table discussing Zelena and possible threats and motives of the witch. Emma was tuning them out. She was sick of sitting at the round conference table going over the same things again and again.

What did Zelena want? Was she truly Regina’s sister?(though it seemed likely if she broke the blood lock) Where had she disappeared to these past three weeks? (and wasn’t that a weird thought – Emma Swan living in a real life fairytale realm for almost a month).

Emma felt someone kick her under the table and she jerked to attention. All eyes were on her, clearly waiting for her to speak, and she had no clue what had just been said. _Shit._

“Uh,” Emma said eloquently.

“Well I’ll vote next to give Emma a chance to think on it longer,” Hook said, throwing her a discreet wink. “I think we should send out a search party for the witch rather than wait for her to attack us.”

Emma sent him a grateful smile. “I agree, I think it’s suspicious that she’s been lying in wait for so long anyway.”

Her father nodded at her answer and moved on to ask Granny what she thought. Emma sighed with relief and vowed to actually pay attention (at least for a little while). Once the meeting was over they’d decided almost unanimously (everyone except for Grumpy) that it made the most sense to find the witch before she found them.

Neal and Belle volunteered to go to the Dark One’s  castle to try to find anything that could help them defeat the witch. While that seemed noble, Emma suspected it was as much about the defeating the witch as it was to try to resurrect Rumpelstiltskin.

Everyone else decided to divide up into pairs to go in search of the witch’s lair. And of course as soon as that was announced Hook spoke up.

“I’ll go with Swan,” he said, words laced with both promise and innuendo.

“Fine,” Emma grumbled, if her choice was either Hook or Happy, she’d choose Hook every time.

Hook smiled flirtatiously at her and winked so overtly that Emma wasn’t sure who he was trying to get a rise out of more, her or David. Emma rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the butterflies taking flight in her stomach.

* * *

_Present day_

Emma felt her cheeks go red and side stepped a little further from Hook.

“What the hell is going on?” David asked, practically seething.

Emma closed her eyes briefly for a second and tried to reign in her frustration at him not just letting it go. When she opened them again David was staring daggers at Hook, who for once was keeping his mouth shut and not even trying to defend himself (when he’d done nothing wrong).

“David,” Emma said, waiting for him to turn and face her. When he didn’t she pulled out the big guns, “ _Dad_ ,” that got his attention – his eyes darted to hers and his lips twitched (it still felt a little too weird to call David and Mary Margaret anything other than David and Mary Margaret, but maybe she should make an effort to do that a little more) “we saw the witch and he grabbed my hand to comfort me. That’s it,” Emma felt Hook fold in on himself a little bit more beside her and had to suppress a sigh, “and even if that wasn’t it, I’m a grown woman who can make her own choices. Okay?”

David tilted his gaze down to the ground and nodded. After a moment of heavy silence Mary Margaret spoke.

“You spotted the witch?”

Emma and Hook both nodded. “And we know what she’s after, let’s go back to the loft first before we talk any further.”

\--

Emma’s heart was beating like a jack rabbit as they all sat down in the loft. She had to tell them now, it was for the baby’s safety – but she still felt like she was about to face the firing squad.

She took a deep breath and decided to just go for it. “I’m pregnant and Zelena wants the baby.”

The responses came rapid fire.

“You’re pregnant?!” David’s entire face went beet red.

“I’m going to have a brother?” Henry sounded far too excited for her liking

“Or sister,” Mary Margaret said.

“Great,” Regina’s voice was laced with sarcasm, “more Charmings.”

“Wait,” Mary Margaret said, silencing everyone else in the room. “What would the Wicked Witch of the West want with your baby?”

It was the question Emma knew would come and was dreading. She wanted to just shrug, she wanted to ignore it, she wanted to run away – but Emma Swan couldn’t always do what she wanted.

“She implied that my baby is the product of true love,” she continued speaking over the gasps of shock, “and that she needed it for a spell or something.”

“True love?” Of course Mary Margaret would choose to focus on _that_ part of the conversation, not the fact that some witch wanted Emma’s unborn child as an ingredient in some perverted spell.

“Who’s the father?” Emma could tell that David was trying his hardest to remain calm, but the twitching of his fingers and quick glance at Hook (that Emma chose to ignore) gave him away.

Emma took a fortifying breath and looked anywhere but at her father or son. “I can’t remember.”

The looks in the room ranged from pity to disappointment and Emma honestly couldn’t decide which was worse. She felt a tight little knot form between her shoulder blades and to her utter embarrassment the room went blurry as her eyes filled with tears – _damn hormones_. Before the tears could actually fall, or anyone could say anything else, Emma leapt up from the couch.

“I’m going to go get some air,” she said hastily before darting to the door – and ignoring everyone calling after her. Sometimes Emma Swan just needed to run away.


	6. Chapter Six

_One year ago_

After traipsing around the forest surrounding the castle for almost two weeks (it’d been five weeks since her last grilled cheese – not that Emma was counting), they decided that Zelena wasn’t a threat – at least not right now, and that they should relax when they had a quiet moment rather than go looking for the next fight.

Emma was pissed. She didn’t want quiet moments. At least if her days were filled with long voyages and exhausting hikes that had her passing out she had no time to think about how she was stuck in another realm that didn’t even have running water. She was covered in muck and wanted nothing more than a hot shower – if she had to settle for yet another lukewarm bath she was going to scream.

Trying not to seem so ungrateful (she did have a roof over her head and food in her belly – which was better than a lot of situations she had growing up) Emma sat down at her small table with a sigh. She lifted up the silver cover wondering what mystery meat she’d be served tonight. Instead of something she’d have to choke down, there, sitting in the middle of the plate was a grilled cheese sandwich with a side of onion rings. Emma almost cried.

It smelled _fucking_ delicious, the cheese was melted perfectly so it oozed out the sides, Emma was practically drooling. Even though she tried to savor the taste, Emma wolfed down the food faster than humanly possible. Once she was done, she felt satisfied for the first time since she’d arrived in this godforsaken place.

Emma couldn’t get the smile off her face as she bathed. Even the lukewarm bath water couldn’t bring her down. She kept licking her lips and savoring the flavor in her mouth, wishing for more. After bathing quickly Emma ran downstairs to the kitchens to thank the chefs (and possibly ask for one more grilled cheese ~~or a dozen~~ ), but none of them knew what she was talking about.

Emma walked to the west wing, thinking her parents were behind the surprise dinner, but they didn’t know what she was talking about either. Emma was thoroughly confused as she walked back to her rooms and decided to check with Henry and ask him too.

“Grilled cheese? In the Enchanted Forest mom?” Henry asked, “Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?”

His eyes were shining and his lips twitched. Emma knew he was lying; she smiled.

“So kid, how’d you manage to get a grilled cheese just right without over-processed bread and cheese?”

“I didn’t,” Henry said, and Emma tilted her head – he was telling the truth.

“But you know who did.” It wasn’t a question.

Henry began to shake his head no, but after a stern look from his mother sighed. “Yes but once I explained what it was he made me promise not to tell.”

“Hook,” his name came out half a sigh, of course it would be the pirate – _of course_ he would remember something she’d barely mentioned in passing and make it for her when she was feeling homesick.

Henry didn’t say anything but smirked at her as he walked into his rooms. Emma practically ran over to the guest corridors and pounded on Killian’s door. When he opened it he was adorably rumpled, hair messy and slightly damp with no shirt and his pants hanging loosely at his waist.

Emma couldn’t help but stare as her gaze followed the taught lines of muscles on his chest and the trail of hair that dipped down below his pants.

“Can I help you Swan?” he asked, and her gaze whipped back to his face guiltily. He was smirking playfully at her, but the intensity of his gaze was anything but playful.

“I wanted to thank you, for the dinner. It was amazing – I have no idea how you did it.” She blushed furiously as he caught her gaze drooping again.

“I told the lad not to tell you,” he scratched behind his ear, “I didn’t do it for your gratitude love, I just hoped it’d make you smile since that’s been a rare thing these days.” He looked away from her bashfully and that – that _sincerity_ \- that’s what did it.

Unlike their first two kisses which began passionately and lustfully, Emma leaned in slowly. She kissed him like she meant it – like she didn’t want things to go back to exactly the way they were after it this time – and judging from the smile she could feel forming beneath her lips, he understood.

* * *

 

_Present day_

It’d been almost an hour since Emma took off from the loft and she’d spent the past 59 minutes sitting on one of the benches out by the docks. It wasn’t that anyone’s reaction was that bad, it was just seeing the pity and disappointment on their faces reminded her of something that she’d been pushing out of her mind ever since she found out. She was pregnant and alone _again_. Of course, _of course_ keeping this baby up wasn’t even a question, but not knowing who the father was meant that she was going to raise this baby alone – and _that_ was something she didn’t know if she was ready for.

For the first time since she’d woken up with a year (or more) missing, Emma wondered what memories Regina had planned on giving her. Did Regina try to give Emma and Henry her own memories, of late nights with a colicky baby and lazy Sunday afternoons spent baking? Or did she keep those memories to herself? And give them new memories, of snow forts in the backyard and a baby that slept through the night?

Emma sighed and put her head in her hands. Whatever memories Regina would’ve given her didn’t matter – it wouldn’t make them real. Emma still won’t know how to soothe a baby in the middle of the night, or change a diaper right. She was still figuring things out with Henry, and he was ten years old when she came into his life – how in the world would she be able to care for an infant. Honestly she had no idea what she was doing.

Emma heard someone and lifted her head. She groaned inwardly as she saw Killian walking towards her. She looked away from him and out at the water as he sat down beside her, far enough so they weren’t touching.

“Did my parents send you?” she asked without preamble.

“No,” he responded. “But if you’re missing much longer I’m sure they’ll send out the search party.”

Emma didn’t say anything and continued to look out at the ocean, letting the sound of crashing waves calm her. She felt his hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him, realizing a moment too late that there were tears in her eyes just waiting to spill over.

“What’s the matter love?” his voice was soft as he pulled her into his arms.

She struggled against him for a moment, trying to pull away from his far too _caring_ embrace, but after a moment relaxed into his arms. She tried to answer him, tell him that she was fine and would see him later, but just as she couldn’t bring herself to speak the lie, her body seemed absolutely content to stay in his arms.

He didn’t say anything, just held her as her shoulders shook slightly with restrained sobs, unable to stop a few silent tears from falling. After a long moment she pulled back from him (this time he let go easily) and wiped her eyes with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Bet you didn’t expect me to be so weepy when you came looking for me, did you?” The thought struck her at that moment that if her parents didn’t send him, that meant that _he_ went looking for her, that _he_ was the one who wanted to find her – and that thought both scared and thrilled her.

“What’s wrong Emma?” he asked, pulling out the big guns and using her real name.

Emma shrugged and turned back to face the water. “I just – I’m scared we won’t find the father before the baby is born and then what? I can’t do this by myself. I don’t know how.” She felt the tears fill her eyes again but blinked them back as she watched gulls swoop down to the water.

“You don’t have to worry love,” she turned to look at him, surprised at the intensity of his gaze. “You’re not alone. You’ve got plenty of people to help you raise this baby, Henry, your parents, hell even Regina – ”

“You?” the word left her without conscious thought, but once she’d said it she realized his answer mattered, and mattered deeply. It was as if they’d reached a cliff’s edge, and his answer had the potential to tip them over or yank them back.

His smile was soft, sweet, and just a little bit shy. “Aye, me” he said.

 “But even if you didn’t – Emma you can do it. You can do _anything_.”

For one heart stopping moment the world seems to shudder to a halt, leaving nothing but her and him in its place and that tight little knot that’d been nestled between her shoulder blades for the past few days seems to melt away. She leaned forward slowly. She could see the moment his breath hitched, Adam’s apple bobbing as he held completely still, as if any sudden movement would break the spell.

When there was less than an inch of space between them Emma exhaled, a hot puff of air bouncing off his lips. He shuddered. That did it. She was pulling him towards her and crashing her lips to his. His lips were soft yet insistent, as he dragged her lower lip into his mouth, sucking on it. He released it with an audible pop, but before she could so much as take a breath, his mouth was back on hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she moaned, letting her tongue meet his.

Her hands were buried deeply within his hair, caressing and pulling on the wild strands, yanking his head more firmly against hers, as if she somehow angled it just right and pulled hard enough she could meld them together. His hand and hook were both at her back, urging her closer until she was practically in his lap.

It was only when his hand slid beneath the thin fabric of her shirt and around to the front to dance across her belly that she was shocked out of the moment. She was pregnant and supposed to be figuring out who the father was, not fooling around with some guy. She yanked her head back hard, ripping her lips from his. He let out a soft, pained whimper – Captain fucking Hook whimpered.

“I can’t.” Emma said leaping up from the bench. “I’m sorry I just can’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited this while feeling like death, so hopefully there aren't many mistakes. Next update will probably come Thursday or Friday. Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter Seven

   _One year ago_

Emma couldn’t stop smiling as she left Killian’s side and retreated to her rooms. Judging from the dopey smile on his face and dazed look in his eyes – he was experiencing a similar feeling. It wasn’t until she reached her rooms and lay on top of her bed, clothes and all, that the smile fell and was replaced with a sudden growing sense of panic.

Even though she was exhausted from traipsing through the forest, she couldn’t seem to quiet her mind. Every time she started to doze off, her mind would wind back to Killian – and not in a good reliving the kiss sort of way, but in a panic induced gnawing fear sort of way. She couldn’t even figure out  _why_  exactly she was panicking so much. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him – hell it wasn’t even that she didn’t want to be with him. She tossed and turned through the night and when a maid came to get her for breakfast, she wasn’t even sure if she’d slept at all.

She hadn’t bothered changing out of her clothes yesterday to go to bed, and couldn’t exactly summon the energy to change now, so she went down to breakfast in day old clothes with sleep mussed hair. It was only at her mother’s pointed look that she realized how that may appear.

“Emma,” Mary Margaret greeted her, gesturing for her to sit at the ridiculously long table, “look who’s here.”

Sitting with his back to her was Neal, apparently returned from his quest to bring back his father and wasn’t that just the perfect way to make her stomach churn. 

Since it was only her parents and Neal at the table, Emma was forced to sit across from Neal or awkwardly at the other end of the table. Rather than make a big deal out of it she sat down and forced a smile before digging into the only Enchanted Forest food that was just as good as stuff from her realm – bacon.

 Emma’s mouth was full as she nodded a few times (hopefully in the right places) as her parents and Neal carried on the conversation. She was trying to focus and figure out why she felt panic bubbling up within her when she realized the noise of the conversation had died out and all eyes were on her. Emma cleared her throat uncomfortably and ran a hand through her hair, in a vain attempt at taming it.

“Sorry, what?”

“Neal just asked if you’d like to go for a ride with him this afternoon?” Mary Margaret said pointedly.

“A ride?” Emma asked dumbly.

Other than the hustle and bustle of the kitchen staff, the room was silent.

Neal coughed a little shyly, “On a horse Ems.”

“Oh.” A date, that look in his eyes meant a date.  _Shit._

David was possibly the only other person at the table who looked about as uncomfortable as she did, but even he – after a long moment of uncomfortable silence said, “well you might as well go Emma. What reason do you have not to?”

Hook. Her mind immediately brought up his image and she felt a twisting in her gut. They hadn’t spoken much after the kiss, just a gentle goodnight before they parted ways – they weren’t anything to each other – or at least that’s why she tried to tell herself, but that thought only made the knot in her stomach grow.

She nodded. “Yeah,” she heard herself saying, “That sounds nice.”

Neal and Snow’s faces both broke out into large grins and Emma smiled back uncomfortably. She wanted to go seek Hook out, explain it to him – but what would she say, sorry I kissed you and agreed to a date with another man the next day? She owed him nothing; she could at least give things with Neal a shot. One chance and that was it, and if she still couldn’t get Killian off of her mind after that, then her decision was made.  

* * *

 

_Present day_

Emma bolted, running away before she could see the disappointment on his face. Running away from running away, that was a new one. She didn’t even pay attention to where she was running until she ended up deep within the forest. After a long time wandering, she finally admitted that maybe she was lost.

Dusk fell quickly in the forest, and soon enough she was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the setting sun as the forest came alive with creatures of the night. Emma plopped down on a fallen log and dug around in her pocket. She’d have to swallow her pride and call her parents to come find her.

No service, of course.  _Fuck_  she cursed aloud.

Soon her parents would send out a search party, which would likely include the pirate (since he’d been included more often than not lately) and wouldn’t that be embarrassing – not only running away, but getting lost as well.  _Ugh_  and what if Hook mentioned that he found her by the docks earlier – and what  _happened_  when he found her by the docks earlier. She buried her face in her hands and groaned.

“You’re quite a ways from town.”

Emma jerked her head up at the voice; she really was distracted, having not even noticed the man walking towards her. “Who are you?”

“Robin of Locksley,” he gave a little bow, “at your service milady.”

Emma forced herself not to groan, of course he would be a fairytale character – the whole fucking town was. Emma contemplated introducing herself as Sheriff Swan just to see the reaction on the thief’s face, but decided against it when she remembered Henry’s excitement at the character’s appearance (as well as her probable need for him to direct her back towards town).

“Emma Swan,” she said, standing to shake his hand. She shifted from foot to foot, “you wouldn’t happen to know which way town is, would you?”

“Of course, I’ll escort you.” He began to start walking through the forest and Emma hurried to stop him.

“Oh that won’t be necessary, if you could just point me in the right direction – ”

“It’s not a problem, my Merry Men can patrol this edge of the forest without me for an hour,” (Merry Men, really? As if Robin Hood alone wasn’t enough to make her feel like passing out), “I insist.”

Emma sighed and followed him back to town, hoping that he wouldn’t feel the need to escort her any further than the edge of town – because wouldn’t that be great if everyone knew that the crazy pregnant lady who ran away had to be led back to town because she got lost. But of course Emma wasn’t that lucky.

“You were one of the leaders at the town meeting last week, right?” he asked as soon as they reached civilization.

Emma nodded.

“Do you think I could speak with you and the others tonight?”

Emma didn’t respond right away and as if sensing her reluctance he spoke, “it’s quite urgent.”

Emma sighed. “Fine, follow me,” she said, figuring that if her parents weren’t out looking for her, they would probably be at the loft.

Emma led the way to the loft and silently hoped no one was there, but luck apparently wasn’t on her side today. Her parents were not alone; Henry and Regina were in the loft as well.

“Hey,” Emma said with feigned casualness as she and Robin Hood walked into the loft.

“Emma!” Mary Margaret said, leaping up from her seat. “Where’ve you been? we were worried.”

Emma felt a twinge of guilt and shrugged. “I went for a walk.”

She was thankful that Robin didn’t elaborate on exactly  _why_ Emma was gone so long. After scanning the loft and realizing Killian wasn’t there, Emma couldn’t help but wonder why. She was afraid she knew the answer, that he figured she wouldn’t want him there, or worse that he was embarrassed of their kiss too.

“Well clearly my location spell services are no longer needed,” Regina said, gathering her things off the kitchen counter.

“Actually your majesty,” Robin said, stepping further into the room, “I was hoping to speak will all of you.”

“Who’s your friend?” Regina asked, looking at Emma rather than Robin.

Before Emma could answer Robin reached forward to shake her hand, “Robin of Locksley milady.”

“It’s Regina here.” Regina didn’t take his extended hand.

After the rest of the introductions, Robin told them why he’d come, some of his Merry Men seemed to be disappearing when they neared the town line on patrols, so for the past couple of days they’d all been forced to stay close to their camp.

“I’ll go with you to check it out tomorrow,” David said.

“I’ll go too,” Emma volunteered and grabbed a beer from the fridge taking a large gulp. Both her parents and Regina looked at her as though she’d just volunteered to be a sacrificial lamb. Emma looked down at the beer in her hand and spit the drink back into the bottle sheepishly before setting it down.

Mary Margaret was the one to finally say it. “Maybe you should stay back.”

Emma ground her teeth together to fight off a growl. “I’m not an invalid.”

“People are disappearing. You’re the savior,” the word was filled with more contempt than awe, “It just makes sense for David to go.” When Regina was the one trying to talk sense into her,  _and_ on her parents side, Emma knew it was no use arguing.

“Regina and I will stay back too,” Regina whipped around to face Mary Margaret with a look that clearly said she’d rather be out looking for the witch, but after a stare down with Snow she acquiesced.

“What and let David go on his own?” Emma asked, not sure why she was fighting this so much (she knew exactly why she was fighting this so much).

“My Merry Men and I will be there as well.”

“Well if your Merry Men are disappearing right and left, I’m not so sure that makes it any better.” Emma said bitingly.

“I’ll get Hook to come too, if that’ll make you less nervous,” David said. Hook being involved would definitely  _not_  make her less nervous, hell him spending alone time with her  _father_  would make her a hell of a lot more worried.

Robin didn’t seem too offended by her tone, just shrugged and said, “Each person who’s gone missing had been alone, if we stick together we should be alright,” while rolling up his sleeves.

Regina dropped the little glass jar (for the locater spell) she’d had in her hand. It hit the floor, shattering into a million little pieces.

“Sorry,” she mumbled as all eyes turned to her, and with a flick of her hand the glass was back in jar form. “I should get going.”

With a kiss to Henry and a cloud of purple smoke she disappeared.

“Well say what you will, but she does know how to make a dramatic exit,” Robin said, staring at the empty air into which she’d just disappeared.

* * *

 

_One year ago_

Emma went riding with Neal, and wasn’t horseback riding supposed to be fun? All she felt was nervous as she flopped around on the back of the gentle giant named Buttercup. The stable master had picked the horse especially for her because of her supposedly docile disposition.

Towards the end of their ‘date’ Emma was sore in plenty of awkward places and when she wasn’t thinking about not falling off the horse, her mind wandered back to Hook. She couldn’t help but wonder about him even though conversation with Neal was pleasant and friendly. But that was just it, wasn’t it?, friendly – she could picture coming out for some sword fighting practice with him and Henry, or going to Granny’s together if they ever got back to Storybrooke, but what she couldn’t picture was kissing him, loving him (like that) again, growing old with him.

So that’s why, when they dismounted and were walking their horses back to the stables that she said it. He’d just said something about falling back into the old routine and she couldn’t drag him along with false hope, not when her heart was somewhere else – was  _with_  someone else.

“I’m sorry Neal but I can’t.” She put her hand on his shoulder affectionately. “I think that we’ve both changed so much that it would never work out between us. But I’d like to stay friends, not only for Henry’s sake but for our own too.”

“I had hoped differently, but I kind of figured,” he said with a sad smile. “Thanks for giving us a chance Em.” She closed her eyes as he leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek.

It was only when she opened her eyes that she saw Killian frozen in midstride halfway to the stables – clearly too far to hear what was said, but not far enough that he didn’t see her affectionately grasp Neal’s arm and Neal kiss her. When his eyes met hers, even across the field she could see the storm, rage and  _hurt_  in them. He broke her gaze and turned swiftly around, stalking back to where he came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than most of the others, but I'm betting you aren't complaining haha. I'm ahead writing now (these chapters seem to be getting longer and longer) so I will probably update again on Sunday or Monday. As always thanks for reading, liking, and commenting!


	8. Chapter Eight

   _Present day_

 Emma sat down at the kitchen island while Mary Margaret made lunch for them. Emma’s hand went to her stomach unconsciously, which was happening more and more often lately. It was just the two of them this afternoon since David was out gallivanting with Hook and Robin, and Henry was at Regina’s. Emma knew that Mary Margaret was going to take advantage of their solitude this afternoon and was dreading it.  

  _Five, four, three_  Emma counted silently. “So Emma,”  _boom there it is,_ “have you given any more thought about the father?”

 Other than the kiss with Hook, the father and baby were constantly on her mind, leaving barely any room for thoughts of the wicked witch. Emma just nodded in response.

 “It’s exciting, isn’t it?” Emma could tell Mary Margaret was trying very hard to keep her voice calm and level, but the underlying excitement in her tone was something that couldn’t be masked.

 Emma took a deep breath, inhaling the cheesy delicious scent of their grilled cheeses cooking for lunch. “Excited isn’t exactly the word I’d use.”

 Mary Margaret stopped cooking for a moment and looked at Emma. “I think you’re focusing on the negatives Emma, but there’s a lot of positives too.”

 Emma remained unconvinced as she tapped her fingers along the edge of the counter.

 “Soon enough you’ll have a little one running around, and not to mention in the missing year you must’ve met your  _true love,”_ Mary Margaret kept talking, but Emma didn’t even hear her – mind focused completely on the words true love.

 Her heart was racing and the palms of her hands felt clammy. Emma tried to focus on her breathing rather than  _those_  words, but her mind seemed unwilling to cooperate. Even though Zelena had said it, Emma had been more focused on the baby than what Zelena’s words implied about the father. Now that Mary Margaret had brought it up though, Emma was panicking and couldn’t think of anything else.

 Apparently Snow finally realized Emma’s silence since she reached a hand out to clasp Emma’s soothingly. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but it is a good thing Emma. You are going to be  _so_ happy.”

 Emma looked down at their hands and tried to focus on the good things, she had a job and a home, people to support and help her as Hook pointed out – Hook. She’d kissed him and nothing had happened – well not  _nothing –_  but their memories didn’t return, which meant they weren’t – not that she thought they were – but  _knowing_ that they weren’t changed things, didn’t it?

 “So what, I should go around kissing strangers to try to break the curse that erased everyone’s memories?” Emma asked acidly.

 “No of course not.” Mary Margaret laughed and returned to cooking their lunches. “Besides, true love’s kiss doesn’t work with memory loss – how could it when you can’t remember that you love each other,” she said nonchalantly, as if it wasn’t a life altering revelation.

For one infinitesimal moment Emma wondered if Killian loved her before quickly banishing the thought. “What if I met him before the missing year?” Emma asked without thinking.

 “I don’t know,” Mary Margaret said, “I think part of it is believing, either in magic or each other. Plus I don’t think a general town wide curse is specific enough, remember Henry had to be cursed specifically for you to break the curse Regina cast.”

 Emma nodded, and ignored the surge of relief she felt at her mother’s words.

 “Wait,” Snow said, placing the sandwich in front of Emma. “Do you think you know who it is?!” Before Emma could even speak, Snow continued, “Do you think it’s Neal? Oh that would make so much sense and I bet you did know him before the missing year because if not you would’ve met, married and gotten pregnant within nine or ten months – not that there’s anything wrong with that, oh, maybe you didn’t get married. But either way – ”

 Emma was saved from any more of Mary Margaret’s absolutely terrifying thoughts by the sound of the door to the loft opening. David, Robin and Hook walked in straight towards the kitchen. Emma could feel Hook’s gaze on her, but kept her eyes averted to her sandwich.

 “Were you able to figure out why so many of Robin’s men were disappearing,” Mary Margaret asked as she kissed David in greeting.

 “They’ve been turning into flying monkeys,” David said matter-of-factly.

 “What?” Emma asked in disbelief, finally turning to look away from her food and to the men in the room. “So the Wicked Witch of the West is turning people into  _flying monkeys_?”

 “Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming,” Hook said with a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

 Emma huffed out a laugh and acquiesced. “True, but I thought the monkeys were just monkeys not people, how did you figure it out?”

 “One of my Merry Men was bitten by the infernal creatures, we took him to the – ”

 “hospital,” David supplied.

 “Right we took him to the hospital and before the doctor could look at him, he sprouted a tail and wings.”

 “We are going to go talk to the fairies now to see if they have any idea of how to reverse it. Do either of you want to come?” David asked, looking at Emma.

 Emma knew he was only making such an effort to include her because they’d gone this morning without her, but she didn’t care why she was being included, she just wanted to get out of the loft and forget her conversation with Mary Margaret.

 “Yeah I’ll go,” Emma said, grabbing her jacket, and not even bothering to zipper it since she knew that it wouldn’t fit.

  Emma made the mistake of looking at Mary Margaret before leaving the loft, and one glance told her that their conversation wasn’t over.

* * *

 

_One year ago_

Emma chased after Hook. She shouted his name as she ran after him, but he only walked faster. Emma finally got close enough to grab his arm and stopped his hasty retreat. He whipped around and the look in his eyes was enough to raise Emma’s hackles.

 “What?” he asked curtly.

 Emma stepped back from him and dropped her arm. “I just – I just wanted to explain what happened back there.”

  He wasn’t even looking at her, his eyes focused above her head. “Nothing to explain love. You don’t owe me anything, what happened between us –  it was just a kiss.”

  _Lie._ She knew it for a lie even though her traitorous brain wanted to take his word for it and run as fast and as far from him and his potential to break her heart as possible. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t tell him – that she and Neal were over before they began

 She wanted to tell him that with him it was more than just a kiss, that it meant so much more, but the words got clogged in her throat and what came out was in a pitifully small voice. “So what, you’re just going to leave then so you don’t get hurt?”

 His eyes finally, finally met hers and were burning with fierce passion he was unable to mask. “Too late Swan.”

 Her heart clenched painfully, as he turned his back on her to walk away. She grabbed his arm again, but he wouldn’t turn until she tugged him to face her. His face was an emotionless mask, and  _that_  was far worse than anger.

 “What do you want from me lass because I really don’t know.” His voice was emotionless too. Emma wanted to shake him, make him angry again – anything would be better than this.

 “You can’t leave,” she said, his mask slipped and he looked confused and maybe a little hopeful, so of course she had to go and ruin it by saying, “I mean, we haven’t figured out the whole wicked witch thing yet.”

 “Unless you ask me to,” he said with a sigh, “I’m not going anywhere.”

 Without waiting for a response he walked away.  _So much for not leaving_  Emma thought as she watched him stalk off towards the woods.

\--

 The day after Hook walked away from her she figured she’d go to his rooms and try to smooth things over – she wouldn’t apologize though because his over reaction was his own fault. She knocked at his door in the guest quarters, unable to think of anything other than the last time she was knocking, for far different circumstances. After a few minutes with no answer she pounded against the door again and called out his name.

 Emma stopped, embarrassed as Regina walked by. The woman scoffed out a derisive laugh that made Emma want to reconsider the unlikely truce between them.

 “He’s not here you know.” Regina somehow didn’t look ridiculous in her extravagant black gown.

 Emma leaned back against the rough wood of his door trying to appear as though she wasn’t just pounding on his door shouting a moment ago. “How do you know?” she asked.

 “Henry was looking for him early this morning to see if they could go sailing and said it looked like he hadn’t slept there last night.

 “Oh,” Emma said, walking back towards her rooms, wondering if he was coming back – she hadn’t noticed he was lying when he said he wouldn’t leave unless she asked, but her lie detector did seem to go haywire around him.

 “Don’t worry,” Regina said with a smirk, “I’m sure your boyfriend will be fine.”

 “Yeah okay thanks Regina,” Emma said absentmindedly, not even realizing Regina had called Hook her boyfriend until she heard the woman laughing as she walked away.

\--

Two days later he still hadn’t come back and Emma was in a horrible mood – not that there was any correlation – nope not at all. She was out on her balcony sulking. Emma fucking  _hated_  Hook. She hated him for making her feel like shit when he was gone, she hated him for making her wonder if he was going to be like everyone else, but most of all she hated him for making her heart leap when she heard his voice.

“Did ya miss me?”

Emma whirled around to face him and immediately shoved him stumbling back hard.

“What was that for?” he asked annoyed.

“You said you weren’t going anywhere and then you disappeared for  _days_ ,” she was shouting now but she couldn’t help it, she was well and truly pissed. She was not going to examine  _why_ she was so mad because he  _deserved_  her ire.

He started to smile – the bastard had the audacity to smile.

“What?” Emma barked.

He shook his head, smile growing wider. She scowled at him. “Nothing love, I’m just glad to be back.”


	9. Chapter Nine

_Present day_

On the way back from visiting the fairies (no cure yet but they’d promised to work on it) Emma got a call from Belle. Ten minutes later and they were all rushing to the hospital. Emma had steadfastly ignored Hook the entire way to the nunnery and on the way to the hospital, instead keeping David or Robin between them at all times.

Robin decided to return to the forest, so only Emma, Hook and David continued on to Neal’s hospital room. Neal was lying in bed with the sheet pooled at his waist, looking surprisingly healthy.

“Where’ve you been?” Emma asked, straight to the point.

“I’m feeling fine, thanks,” he said sarcastically.

 _Oops._ “Sorry,” Emma said.

“And to answer your question, I don’t know. I just woke up on the floor of the pawn shop with Belle hovering over me.” Neal picked at the sheets. “So what’s going on? There’s a wicked witch or something?”

“I’m pregnant,” Emma blurted, regretting it the moment the words left her mouth.

“What?!” The beeping from Neal’s heart monitor accelerated.

“Calm down mate,” Hook said, placing a placating hand on the man’s shoulder before Neal brushed it off.

“Who’s the father?” Neal asked with his eyes boring into Killian.

Emma wanted to scream. The father was probably in the room, and certainly _not_ David. “I don’t know, can’t remember the last year so…”

“Right,” Neal said looking away from his staring match with Hook – and what even was her life. “Can I talk to you for a minute” Neal asked, “alone?”

Emma found her gaze drift to Hook quickly before shooting back towards Neal, hoping no one noticed. “Yeah sure,” she said, waiting for David and Hook to leave.

Once they were alone in the room Neal smiled a little. “Are you okay?” he asked. “How are you feeling, any morning sickness?”

“Neal,” Emma said, stopping him. “What did you want to talk to me alone about?”

“Nothing,” he said, eyes darting about the room, landing anywhere but on her. “I just – I want to be involved – more involved this time since I missed out with Henry.”

Emma choked on air, spluttering as she took a seat in the chair next to the bed. Neal thought the baby was his; no questions asked he thought the baby was his. _Neal_ thought it was his. Her head was spinning and Emma felt as though she might faint. She placed her hand over her belly protectively.

“Neal,” she whispered, unable to make her voice any louder. “You know the baby might not be yours.”

He looked a little shocked at her words, eyes widening and finally, finally landing on her. “What makes you say that? You said you didn’t know who the father was.”

Emma shrugged, “just because I’m not sure doesn’t mean it’s you – we’re missing a whole year of memories, a lot can happen in a year.”

“Exactly,” he said earnestly, sitting up in his bed. “We probably got back together and decided to have another.”

Emma wasn’t sure if he actually believed that had happened or if he just wished that had happened, but either way his words made her realize that she really, really hoped he wasn’t the father (she refused to think who the father was if Neal wasn’t). “Neal, I can’t say that this baby is or isn’t yours, but I don’t want to get back together.” She spoke slowly, trying to not let her panic seep through.

He looked down at his lap for a moment. “Well,” he said, “I think that even if the baby isn’t mine, I’d like to help out – a bit – if that’s alright with you.”

She could hear what he wasn’t saying, but raising some new baby wouldn’t change the fact that neither of them had been there to raise Henry; but instead of saying that she just smiled. “Sure,” Emma said quietly, “that’d be nice.”

And even though the words felt sour on her tongue, she couldn’t help but smile when she saw the joy her words brought him. After ensuring that he would stay in the hospital as long as Whale wanted him to, Emma returned to the lobby where Hook and David were waiting for her.

“Swan,” Hook said, catching her arm as they were leaving the hospital.

She stopped and turned to him. She really didn’t need this right now, especially after that awkward conversation with Neal.

"I just wanted to make sure we were okay after what happened – ”

“Yup,” Emma said, cutting him off, “we’re fine.”

“Emma,” When he said her real name her stomach fluttered (or maybe it was the baby kicking), “I don’t want you worrying about me, your focus needs to be on the baby right now and I understand that. So I’m backing off – ”

“Don’t,” the word spilled from her lips without her permission and her eyes widened, flickering to her father waiting outside before back to him.

Killian looked adorably muddled when he spoke, (since when did she ever think he was adorable?). “I have to admit Swan I’m getting rather confused. First you kiss me then you push me away – now when I say I’ll stay away you tell me not to?”

Emma’s face was burning but she needed to say this, because the moment he said he would step back _killed_ her. “It’s not – it’s not that I didn’t,” she cleared her throat, throwing another glance at her father who was now pacing outside, “enjoy kissing you, I just feel guilty I guess.”

“About the father of your babe?”

Emma nodded.

He cocked his head as he looked at her. “No that’s not all is it?”

Emma stared at him, knowing he was right, that part of the reason she ran was because she was scared – scared of what she felt when she kissed him and the power that gave him over her. She reached her hand forward to clasp his and squeezed it quickly before drawing it back, ignoring the urge to glance out at David to see if he’d noticed. “Be patient,” she said, hoping he’d understand.

            He did.

_One year ago_

            When Killian left, he’d gone in search of his ship – having ‘borrowed’ another ever since they’d arrived in the Enchanted Forest with the Jolly Roger nowhere to be found. Apparently Blackbeard had commandeered it, and gotten himself along with his crew arrested for piracy in a neighboring kingdom, meaning that the ship itself was ripe for the plucking, and now sat docked in the village harbor.

 Emma knew she revealed too much that day when Killian came back. In the two weeks following his return, Killian had grown much more bold, seeking her out more often than not, guiding her with a hand to her waist, letting their hands brush as they walked – Emma tried to mind, she really did, but it was hard to mind when each innocent touch sent a rush of heat through her and set her to wondering what a not so innocent touch would do. They hadn’t kissed again since before her date with Neal. It seemed as if neither of them wanted to be the one to cave first.

Finally one evening after he had taken Henry sailing, (seriously who was this fucking beautiful, sweet man?) she’d had enough of their waiting game. She was waiting by the docks for the Jolly Roger to come into port, and when she spotted it’s sails coming in through the sea mist she took a fortifying breath to gather her courage as she walked out to meet them.

“Have fun kid?” she asked, ruffling Henry’s hair as he careened into her.

“Yeah!” he said enthusiastically. “Can we go again tomorrow Killian?” he asked, (and just when exactly did her son start referring to the pirate as Killian instead of Hook?)

“Of course lad, as long as it’s alright with your mother.” Killian looked down at Henry fondly and her heart swelled.

She opened her mouth to ask him, she really did, but the words got caught and instead of asking him out she said Henry could go sailing again instead. Emma cursed herself for her cowardice the entire walk back to the castle, so preoccupied with it that she didn’t even notice Killian take her hand. It was only when Henry smirked at her with a pointed look, that was meant to be sly, (but actually quiet overt) that she realized their fingers were laced together.

The thought that holding hands with Captain Hook felt so natural to her that she didn’t even notice they were doing it should have scared her – but it _not_ scaring her scared her. She held his hand until they separated inside the castle to head to their own individual rooms – she was sick and tired of letting her fear stop her from doing what she wanted ( ~~who she wanted~~ ). Emma was restless in her rooms, unable to focus on a task for more than a moment and she had a feeling she knew the reason why – what surprised her though was that her son knew why too.

“Just go ask him mom,” he said, watching her pace around the room.

“What?” she asked, stopping her pacing to face Henry.

“I know you want to ask Hook out – and yeah it’s kind of weird – but you should do it if it’ll make you happy.”

“I don’t know,” she said, not sure if she was referring to Hook making her happy or if she would ask him out.

Henry stood up and gently pushed her out of the room. “Go on.” he rolled his eyes and headed down the corridor to his second bedroom closer to Regina’s.

 _I can do this_ Emma chanted to herself as she walked towards Hook’s room, determined not to chicken out this time. When she got to his door he answered after one knock, clearly surprised to see her so soon after parting ways.

“What’s the matter Swan, is it the Wicked Witch?” he asked, slightly frantic.

“No, no it’s fine everything’s fine. I’m not here about the witch.”

“Then why are you here love?” It sent a twinge of guilt through her that he couldn’t fathom why she’d seek him out unless it had to do with a crisis, but she’d change that.

“I’m here to ask you out,” she all but blurted the words; half wishing she could take them back in the moment it took for him to answer.

He cocked his head and grinned at her, “shouldn’t I be the one asking you out?”

“I should’ve known you’d be old fashioned given your age, what are you like a hundred?” She lashed out when flustered, she’d always had, but Hook seemed nonplussed.

“More like three hundred give or take,” he said flirtatiously, and how he could make _that_ flirtatious she had no idea.

“So what do you say?” she asked again, unable to take not knowing his answer (though honestly who was she kidding, deep down she had to have known what he’d say).

“I happily accept on one condition love.”

She looked at him warily, “what’s that?”

“I get to plan our date,” _god_ there was _promise_ in his voice and she felt it all the way into her toes.

She was in danger of swooning, she needed to say something to put some space between them because – there was a reason, there definitely was, she just couldn’t remember exactly why when he was looking at her like that. “I don’t pillage and plunder on the first date just so you know.” _Oh god_ but with him, maybe she would.


	10. Chapter Ten

_Present day_

Okay so maybe Emma was avoiding Hook – and Neal, but it wasn’t her fault (okay so maybe it was her fault, but she wasn’t about to admit that). It’d been two weeks since Neal had returned, and he seemed to be disappearing sporadically and reappearing with amnesia every couple of days – which honestly was definitely not the strangest thing that’d ever happened in this town.

She was fourteen weeks pregnant now (at least, maybe a week or so more) and her baby was now the size of a lemon, which Mary Margret liked to remind her on a daily basis. This morning in particular her mother had come bursting into her room with excitement. Emma thought that maybe the witch had made a move (she’d been lying in wait for too long now, it was making Emma nervous), but no the witch was still awol.

“Aurora’s pregnant!” No good morning Emma, how’d you sleep Emma, just straight to the point. “I went for a walk with your father this morning and saw Aurora. She is absolutely glowing, I knew right away.”

“Or you knew right away since she’s the size of a whale,” Emma mumbled under her breath. She’d run into the other woman more than a week ago.

“You should meet up with her for lunch sometime. I’m sure she’d love to see you,” Mary Margaret went on, either she didn’t hear Emma’s comment, or she was ignoring it.

“Yeah that’d be nice,” Emma said noncommittally.

“But don’t you see Emma,” Mary Margaret said, placing a hand on her shoulder and guiding her downstairs to the kitchen where David and Henry were eating breakfast. “You two are going through the same thing, wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to talk to?”

Emma didn’t have the heart to tell Mary Margaret that they were most definitely not going through the same thing; not at all. Clearly Aurora knew who the father was and had probably tried to get pregnant – whereas Emma was avoiding the two likely fathers like the plague.

Instead of saying any of that, she looked into Mary Margaret’s bright eyes and smiled, saying that it sounded like a wonderful idea. Mary Margaret frowned and apparently Emma wasn’t as good at keeping her thoughts hidden as she thought.

“Maybe you could take a paternity test if you’re really so worried about it. Just get Neal to give Whale a DNA sample.”

“Isn’t it dangerous to do a paternity test before the baby is born?” Emma asked, choosing to ignore the surety in her mother’s voice when she implied Neal was the father.

“Oh you’re probably right,” Mary Margaret said, placing a gentle hand on Emma’s stomach.

“Maybe Regina could do a magic test or something,” David said around a mouthful of pancakes.

Before Emma could even respond Mary Margaret spoke, “You’ll feel better once Neal is confirmed as the father. I’ll call her and we can do it right now.”

Emma sighed, there was no way she could tell Mary Margaret she didn’t want to do the test without being bombarded with questions that she wouldn’t have the answer to, but she was scared about the results if she was being honest.

Half an hour later Regina and Neal were there, and Emma was holed up in the bathroom wondering if she’d just vomited from remaining morning sickness or nerves. As she washed her mouth out in the sink and headed out into the living room she realized it was definitely not morning sickness.

“Hey,” Neal said quietly as he approached her.

Emma smiled (grimaced) and walked towards Regina. “Okay let’s get this over with; what do I have to do?”

Regina smiled and Emma suspected the former Evil Queen was enjoying this far too much. “Okay so I’ve never done this spell before, but my mother’s spell book makes it pretty clear. Neal, come here.”

Neal walked over towards Regina with a huge smile on his face. Regina reached her hand into his hair and yanked out a strand. Neal flinched back from her, and at least that dopey smile was gone. Regina walked over to the kitchen and added the hair to a potion she’d made. The potion glowed green for a moment before returning to a dark purplish color. Regina handed the potion to Emma, and Emma almost laughed, apparently paternity tests were a thing in the Enchanted Forest too.

“Drink it,” Regina said as Emma eyed the potion warily. “If your stomach glows purple he isn’t the father, if it glows green then he is.”

Emma made a face at the potion, hoping that it didn’t taste like hair and tilted her head back, drinking it all in one gulp. Everyone in the room stared at her stomach, waiting for something to happen. Emma shifted uncomfortably under their gazes and felt a syrupy warmth begin to spread through her.

She looked down and saw the dark unmistakable purple even through her thick maternity shirt. She didn’t breathe a sigh of relief; she definitely didn’t so everyone needed to stop looking at her like she did.

Neal was the first one to speak, “I’m sorry Emma,” he said sincerely.

Mary Margaret rushed forward to hug her, and David joined the hug, cupping the back of her head. “Don’t worry we’ll figure this out.”

“Regina,” Emma said, pulling away from the hug. “How long will my stomach be glowing?”

“The spell book didn’t mention that actually.” Regina shrugged, gathering her coat to leave. “I’m sure it’ll go away eventually.”

Just before Regina reached the door, Neal began to gag, making a loud choking sound that made her and everyone in the room turn to him. His face and body started to look like they melt and reshape into a different form. Emma stood gaping as Neal disappeared before their eyes and Mr. Gold stood in his place.

* * *

_One year ago_

Emma was nervous, she was actually nervous. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been nervous before a date. She was waiting in her rooms (with Mary Margaret, David and Henry, because of course they had to be completely embarrassing about it) wearing a modern style dress that had been delivered to her that morning.

There was a knock at the door and Emma took a breath before walking over and opening it. Hook stood in the entryway wearing jeans and a short modern leather jacket that looked like it belonged on a 21st century rocker, not a centuries old pirate. Emma tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come out.

“You look,” she trailed off, unable to finish it.

He smirked at her. “You too love,” he reached out and handed her a flower.

Emma smiled, “how’d you get the clothes?”

Hook scratched behind his ear, “I enlisted the queen’s help, cashed in an old favor she owed me.”

“Need a chaperone?” David asked, and Emma feared he may have been only half joking.

Killian laughed, “don’t worry mate, she’s in good hands.”

David smirked at him, “your hand is exactly what I’m worried about.”

Emma grabbed Killian’s hand and began to walk out of her rooms, “Okay  _bye_ Dad.” She couldn’t really feel guilty about pulling the dad card in situations like this, especially when using it meant he’d smile and let them leave without further interrogation.

Hook laced their fingers together as he led her out into the forest. Emma could feel her heart thudding in her palm and blushed, hoping he couldn’t feel it too. They walked a little more than a mile deep into the forest, and just when Emma was going to make a joke about him trying to get her alone to murder her, they came upon a clearing.

Emma couldn’t be sure if magic had created this place, or if it was simply magical. The meadow was perfectly round, with purple wildflowers and white daisies scattered throughout. The sun was dipping low casting light in slanted through the trees, making the entire clearing appear as if it was glowing.

Killian led Emma to the center of the field, where a big blanket was spread out with a picnic basket sitting on top of it. Emma sat next to Killian with a stupid smile on her face that she couldn’t quite seem to bite back. Hook pulled a bottle of wine out of the basket, followed by two glasses.

“What no rum?” Emma asked, taking a sip from her glass.

“Well,” he said slipping his flask from his pocket and taking a swig, “if the lady insists.”

Emma smiled and took the flask from him, tilting her head back as she took a swig. Even though they were sitting with space between them, Emma could feel the heat radiating off of him. She had to suppress a shiver at the less than pure thoughts swirling in her mind.

Killian had packed their dinner – pizza, onion rings _and_  grilled cheese. Emma couldn’t stop smiling. Not only had he gone to the trouble of making all the food, but he’d made modern food too.

Emma didn’t realize that she kept inching towards him throughout their meal until their bodies were so close that if she just tilted her head she’d be leaning on his shoulder. The food was delicious and she had to admit that the flirting and conversation came almost too naturally. After they finished eating – with much more hand brushing and sideways glances than strictly necessary – Hook pulled a large flask out from the bottom of the basket.

Emma smirked and bumped his shoulder with hers playfully, (since when was she someone playful?) “More rum?” she asked.

Killian smiled smugly and handed the flask to her. Emma smiled at him and took a sip. She felt inexplicable tears come to her eyes when she swallowed the still warm and absolutely  _perfect_  hot chocolate with cinnamon on top.  She blinked the tears away and stared at him in shock.

“I know it probably doesn’t taste right, but I figured I might as well make an attempt,” he rushed to say, “I had to use coco powder instead of chocolate – though Henry wasn’t exactly sure  _what_ went into hot chocolate but I made a few attempts and had the lad test it until he thought it tasted – ”

“Modern clothes,” Emma said, interrupting him.

“What?” Killian asked distractedly.

“We’re wearing modern clothes, in the middle of nowhere and just ate pizza and onion rings, with  _hot chocolate._ ” Emma spoke the words with emphasis, as she had an epiphany.

Hook scratched behind his ear and nodded, clearly waiting for her to elaborate on her ramblings.

Their date wasn’t just a picnic; she was so stupid not to have noticed it. They were far enough away that there were no castles or kingdoms, no knights or princesses, and no fairytales either; and they were  _both_  wearing modern clothes (Captain Hook, who even in Storybrooke and Neverland had kept to his pirate garb, was wearing modern clothes). They could be anywhere – they could be in Storybrooke.

The food even, was all modern and her favorites; and the hot chocolate tasted absolutely perfect – she wondered how many bitter batches he and Henry had needed to make to get it just right. Her date with Neal had only served to remind her how very far from Maine she was, but this date, with Killian – well if she didn’t know any better she would’ve thought she was home.

Killian looked at her a little apprehensively, with his fingers tugging on his ear reflexively. Emma smiled at him; even with his nerves, his eyes were undeniably sparkling in the fading sunlight. And what she wanted more than anything in the world at that moment – more than capturing witches or indoor plumbing or even returning to Maine – was to kiss him.

So she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this one is a little shorter than the past couple (but hey it’s only one day after the last update so that counts for something, right?) because I really wanted to end it there specifically. My weekend is looking pretty busy right now so I’m not sure when the next update will be, but probably Sunday? As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking it really makes my day :)


	11. Chapter Eleven

_Present day_

Neal was there one second and then Gold was standing in his place – Rumpelstiltskin – who was supposed to be _dead_ was standing exactly where Neal had been. Everyone stared at him in slack jawed silence.

Emma was the first to speak. “What the hell?”

Gold looked as though he was in great pain. His mouth moved as though trying to form words, but his face flickered to Neal’s before going back to his so fast that any words coming out were only half formed. Finally after a long minute of flipping back and forth between the two men like one of the flip books Emma had as a child, only Rumpelstiltskin remained.

“How are you alive – and why are you _in_ Neal?” Regina asked, walking towards him slowly as though he'd attack were she to approach any quicker.

“Zelena is the witch,” he grunted out, each word paining him as if an invisible fist were closed tight around his throat.

“We know,” David said.

“ _How_ are you alive?” Regina asked again.

“The – dark one – cannot kill himself with the dagger – because then there is no tether for the darkness.” Each word came out more pained than the last; his face contorted in agony.

“With no tether the darkness – attaches to whoever is holding the dagger – but I was holding it. So I could not die – nor could I live,” he spoke with increasing speed, so the words coming out were fast and almost breathless. “My soul – and the darkness along with it attached itself – to the nearest genetic match –”

“Neal,” Emma breathed.

Gold nodded as he collapsed to the floor. In a rush, David leapt forward to help him. Gold reached out a surprisingly strong knobby hand and latched onto David’s shirt. When he spoke, it was barely above a whisper, “to leave us conjoined means our death – to separate us means the darkness will find whoever has the dagger and they will become the Dark One – Zelena she has the dagger – she will be the Dark One.”

With that final breath Gold was gone and Neal was in his place, standing up off the floor and looking around in confusion. David reached out a hand and helped him up as they explained what had happened.

Once Neal was caught up, the arguments began. Everyone had their own opinion about what should be done, and no one wanted to concede.  Neal didn’t want to kill his father, even though that would end up killing him, Mary Margaret wanted to save Neal by sacrificing the Dark One, David and Regina both thought neither option was good, while neither Henry nor Emma offered an opinion.

“Enough,” Emma said, silencing the arguments. “We’ll have to separate you from him Neal, it’s the only way.” Neal opened his mouth to interrupt her but Emma held up a hand to silence him, “Even if we didn’t separate you, then you would die and where do you think the darkness would go – Henry is the next genetic match and if not him then it would end up with Zelena anyway. We have no other choice.”

“Emma’s right,” Mary Margaret said, “Even if it means giving Zelena an advantage.”

Neal bowed his head in acknowledgement and turned to Regina, “okay just do it, before I change my mind,” he said.

Regina put her hands on his shoulders and ripped Gold from Neal until they were both standing there – though Gold was no more than a ghostlike echo of himself. “I’m sorry papa,” Neal said, voice sounding so much younger and smaller than Emma had ever heard it.

“It’s okay Bae. I love you,” Rumpelstiltskin said, placing a ghostly hand on Neal’s shoulder before vanishing altogether.

\--

An hour later and Emma’s stomach was still glowing purple – though at least with a thick sweater on over her maternity top it was slightly fainter than before – she really hoped that it would wear off soon. She was sitting at one of the tables outside of Granny’s, even though there was a slight chill to the air.  She’d much prefer the solitude, especially knowing that her stomach was still glowing like a damn black light.

She was nursing the last remnants of a rather cold hot chocolate when a fresh steaming one was set down before her. Emma looked up to thank Ruby, but Killian was standing there instead.

“Mind if I sit, love?” he asked, nudging the cup towards her, “I did bring you a drink after all.”

Emma rolled her eyes though she couldn’t help but smile as she kicked out the chair next to her. For one bizarre moment she wondered what her life would have been like if fairytales weren’t real – if she really was sitting outside of a small town diner in the middle of nowhere Maine. If a random ( ~~fucking gorgeous~~ ) guy bought her a drink – she sighed, she’d probably remember how she got pregnant for one thing.

She took a sip of the fresh hot chocolate and moaned as the thick warm liquid slid down her throat. Killian’s gaze was focused on her mouth as he licked his lips – and she knew what those lips tasted like and damn those pregnancy hormones for making her want him – _sure, blame the pregnancy_ a tiny mutinous voice in her head whispered _._

“Neal isn’t the father,” Emma said in a rush to take his eyes off her lips before she did something stupid – like say _that_ for instance.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to avoid looking at his far too hopeful expression. “I mean – Regina did a spell – potion thing or whatever earlier today to test if Neal was the father and he isn’t – but he was actually partially Rumpelstiltskin at the time so who knows if we even got the right DNA” and oh god she was rambling but she couldn’t seem to stop. She continued to explain about the whole Neal and Gold combing thing without even pausing for breath.

When she finally stopped talking Killian smiled at her, taking the news of the whole ‘son absorbing his father’ thing pretty well. “I’m glad Bae’s okay,” he said. “And I’m – sure you’ll find out who the father is.”

Emma sighed and took another sip of her hot chocolate – only this time when the warm liquid hit her belly, she felt the baby give a definite, strong kick. She’d thought she’d felt it a couple of times already, but this was the first time she was absolutely sure of it. She reached over and yanked Killian’s hand, pulling it to her stomach beneath her sweater.

“What – ” he began to say before the baby kicked his hand from the other side and all coherent thought was wiped away as he stared at her belly in absolute awe.

Emma looked up from her hand holding his over her stomach and tried to ignore the way her heart raced at the feel of his gentle warm palm on the bare skin of her stomach

 “Hello, little one,” he whispered and _damn it_ she wasn’t going to cry, she wasn’t – she wasn’t. He looked up at her and when their gazes met the baby kicked once more. She smiled and noticed the warm tingle of magic humming just beneath her skin.

What Emma didn’t notice however, was the purple glow of her belly flicker green before disappearing entirely.

* * *

 

_The missing year_

She crashed into his lips with enough force to send them both toppling over onto the blanket. Emma shifted so she was straddling him and sucked his lower lip into her mouth. His hand and hook were at her waist while she buried her hands deep in his hair. She could feel his smile beneath her lips and had to fight one of her own. When she pulled on his hair just a little too roughly it seemed to ignite a fire within him. Suddenly he was flipping them over and she was trapped beneath him.  

Using his teeth, he dragged her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked on it gently before coaxing her mouth open and letting their tongues twine together. Emma rocked her hips up into his and he broke away from her with a moan. She leaned up and chased his lips capturing them again as his hand skimmed down her body and rested at her waist. Heat surged through her in the wake of his fingers, and if she died in this moment she’d die happy.

 His hook trailed down her leg and she shivered as the cool metal touched her skin. He looped his hook around her thigh and tugged her leg up over his hip. The skirt of her dress was hiked up around her waist and she moaned as his thigh settled between her legs.

He broke his mouth away from hers and she whimpered, she actually fucking whimpered. But before she could even complain at the loss, his lips were trailing down her jaw nipping and sucking a trail to her neck. She threw her head back wishing for more – more skin, more contact, more kisses, more _him_ , more everything. As if he sensed her thoughts, his lips trailed a wet hot path down her neck that sent heat shooting down to her core.

She squirmed beneath him, twisting her hips to try to catch some friction. She was ready for him, so so ready for him. She wanted him to touch her more, wanted his hand on her chest, his mouth on her – okay so maybe she did want to pillage and plunder on the first date after all.

And just as she had that thought, he broke away from her with a groan. He gently set the leg that was curled around him back to the ground and pulled back, still straddling her.  He was looking at her warily, as though she were an easily spooked animal. “You aren’t going to run away this time, are you?” He asked and Emma took no small amount of pride from the fact that he was breathless.

Emma shook her head and reached for the lapels of his jacket to drag him towards her again and make him finish what he started, but he pulled back out of her reach. For one panic filled moment Emma feared that _he_ would be the one to run away, that he’d changed his mind. She started to scramble out from underneath him. He stood up gingerly and adjusted the fit of his jeans before reaching out a hand to help her up.

“What’re you doing?” she asked incredulously, wondering why in the world he was stopping.

“I know you don’t – what’d you say – pillage and plunder? on the first date,” he winked at her, the man actually had the audacity to wink at her, and the panic that had filled her a moment before disappeared.

Emma groaned and sat up, taking his hand to help her stand and wondering if she should tell him she changed her mind and wanted to _pillage_ on their first date after all – though if she admitted that he would probably become insufferably smug. He licked his lips just then, as if savoring her taste and screw it she would have him right here, right now so what if he would be smug about it.

As if sensing her thoughts he rushed to say, “though even if you didn’t have such a rule, I am a gentleman and plan to be one which means escorting you home now and saving the _ravishing,_ ” _oh dear god_ the word was absolutely dripping with promise and she had to fight the urge to clench her legs together, “until next time.”

Emma shivered and stepped closer to him so their bodies were touching from the shoulders down. He tilted his head down to smile at her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before shrugging out of his jacket and offering it to her. Even though her shiver had nothing to do with the cold, Emma found herself accepting the offer and shrugging into the warm material. It smelled like him and she couldn’t help but take a deep breath of it, smiling sheepishly when he caught her.

They gathered the basket and blanket and headed back to the castle. Emma couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, the entire evening could have happened in the real world but that wasn’t what had her smiling like a fool. Emma took a deep breath and decided she was going to be brave about this; she wanted to enjoy something in the Enchanted Forest and if that something  happened to be Killian? So be it. She reached out and grabbed his hand, and his joyous smile (that he tried in vain to hide) was reward enough.

Emma smiled as he twined their fingers together and they walked back to the castle grounds. She was a little nervous about people seeing them together – not because she was ashamed of him – but because that would make it real. Plus here he was a pirate and she was a princess, and while that wouldn’t matter in the real world, here it seemed just a little more important.

But _you know what?_ Emma thought, _screw that_. Even if she’d been raised as a princess in the Enchanted Forest, she liked to think she would’ve been rebellious enough to throw away decorum for a certain pirate. Though if she had been raised in the Enchanted Forest, that would mean he’d be nearly 30 years older than her and wasn’t that a strange thought.

Still, as they approached the castle walls where a couple of the dwarves were standing guard, she let her hand slip out of his, and tried to tell herself that the way the smile dropped off his face was merely coincidence. Even though there was space and silence between them, he walked her all the way back to her rooms.

Night had fallen fully as they walked back to the castle, and once inside the lanterns were lit casting long dark shadows throughout the corridors. She shrugged out of his jacket and handed it back to him. He shuffled back and forth from foot to foot. Emma knew he thought she was second guessing what had happened in the forest – but she wasn’t – she really wasn’t. She just was never one for PDA and now that everyone seemed to know her, she wanted to keep things between them just for now.

“Can we keep what’s between us, between us for now?” Emma asked, stepping into his space a bit so he’d know she wasn’t backing off. “I just don’t want the pressure of the whole realm knowing.”

He smiled at her and nodded. “Of course love.”

Emma leaned forward and kissed him softly. When she pulled back she was just as breathless as she was in the woods.

“What happened to keeping it between us?” Killian asked teasingly as he glanced around the deserted hall.

Emma smirked at him, “Goodnight Killian,” she said, opening the door to her rooms and slipping inside.

Once she shut the door she leaned up against it and sighed, actually sighed like a lovesick schoolgirl. _Oh_ was she in trouble.

“So tell us everything about the date!”

Emma jumped at the sound of Mary Margaret’s voice and whirled around to face both her and David sitting on the lounge in her room.

“Some of us don’t want to know _everything,_ ” David said.

Emma rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t push away the warm feeling at the thought that she actually had parents who _cared_ enough to wait up for her – even if it was a little exasperating.

Mary Margaret looked positively gleeful. “Was there a good night kiss?”

“That for instance is one of the things I don’t want to know about.”

Emma smiled to herself – there was almost a hell of a lot more than just a kiss if Killian hadn’t been such an insufferable _gentleman._

“Goodnight guys,” Emma said, walking past them further into her rooms and pretending not to hear their whispers.

_She looks happy._

_Maybe the pirate isn’t so bad after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re closing in on the end, I’m thinking there’ll be fifteen or sixteen chapters total at this rate. My guess for the next update is Tuesday or Wednesday. As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking; it really makes my day :)


	12. Chapter Twelve

_Present day_

Almost a month after Gold’s soul split from Neal’s, Zelena finally made another appearance in town. She came bursting into the diner causing the door to swing back so violently it was almost torn off the hinges. The diner fell silent; Emma leapt up from her stool to confront the woman, but was yanked back by more than one pair of hands.

“It’s too dangerous,” Mary Margaret glanced at Emma’s now fairly large stomach (she was at least 18 weeks pregnant by now). “There are too many people who could get hurt,” she added when Emma looked like she was going to argue.

“Listen to your mother dear,” Zelena said, stalking further forward into the diner, dagger with her own name written across it clasped tightly in her hands. “I’m not here for you or your baby anyway – at least not today, I’m here to visit my dear little sister.”

A low murmur passed through the diner as everyone wondered who the witch was talking about. Emma could feel Hook’s gaze on her, but couldn’t bring herself to meet it – it’s not that she’d been avoiding him per say, she just made sure that any time she was with him there were at least two other people with them that could act as a buffer. It hadn’t stopped his flirtatious remarks, or his invasion of his space (not that Emma would really want that to stop if she was being honest with herself), but it did stop the declarations and his far too sincere comments which was a good thing – at least that’s what Emma kept telling herself.

Zelena stopped directly in front of Regina and smiled. “Hey sis.”

Regina looked behind her almost comically and turned back to Zelena. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Zelena stepped into Regina’s space and reached out to trace a finger down Regina’s jaw before the other woman flinched away. “Oh my dear sweet sister, our mother never told you,” Zelena put her hand over her heart in false sincerity. “Cora had a daughter before you, she gave me away and you’re going to pay for that. Meet me in front of the library at midnight tonight. I want everyone there to observe your failure.”

Before Regina could even respond there was a flash of green smoke and the witch was gone. The diner erupted into chaos. Regina murmured something about Zelena lying before bursting out of the diner to go search in her mother’s vault for evidence.

–

Later as everyone waited outside of the clock tower, Emma paced back and forth. She was anxious, she didn’t like having so many spectators for a fight like this, there were too many unknowns – too many factors going into it, something could go wrong so easily and there were so many civilians that could get hurt.

Emma stopped pacing when Zelena appeared in a swirl of green smoke. She glanced back at Hook before quickly turning away when she saw his eyes were on her, the problem wasn’t the whole fairytale thing, it was the way he made her feel when he was around him. She wasn’t used to  _wanting_ and the almost desperate longing, which flowed through her veins when he looked at her with desire. Emma shifted back and forth from foot to foot to keep warm in the nighttime chill – Regina still wasn’t there yet.

“No Regina?” Zelena asked. “Guess my little sister was too scared to go into a fight she knew she’d lose. That’s pretty selfish of her don’t you think? Especially now that I’m going to take it out on you.” She smirked wickedly and raised her hands to attack.

“Wait,” Emma said, leaping forward in front of the crowd. “You want to fight someone? Fight me.”

Zelena laughed mirthlessly. “If you’re sure darling.”

Emma held her hands up, hoping that her magic would suddenly come to her aid since she had no idea what the hell she was doing. Zelena on the other hand, did. A stream of green light went shooting towards her. Emma’s magic wasn’t doing anything. Emma closed her eyes a moment before impact, hoping whatever spell Zelena had shot at her wouldn’t hurt too much.

Emma opened her eyes at the witch’s absolutely fucking delighted laughter. Killian had jumped in front of her and took the brunt of the spell, shooting backwards several feet and knocking into a handful of observers. Emma screamed his name as darting pain flared through her chest and nearly sent her tumbling to the ground. She ran to him ignoring the agony she felt with every step.

Emma reached him where he was still on the ground and it felt like her heart had gone missing. Everything had stopped – she didn’t even notice Regina’s appearance and confrontation with Zelena.

“Killian? Hook?!” Emma leaned down, panic filling her voice and heart.

She couldn’t breathe – she was an idiot – why had she been avoiding him? To protect herself – her heart – but even with avoiding him her heart was shattering as he lay motionless on the pavement. Emma reached down to touch him, her hand going to his wrist, hoping –  _god_  – hoping to feel a pulse when he groaned and moved to sit up.

Emma let out a sigh and visibly sagged in relief. “Are you okay?” she asked, hoping her voice didn’t sound as raw to him as it did to her.

He stood with her help and nodded. As soon as she was sure that he was okay, she punched him in the shoulder. “What the  _hell_ were you thinking?”

He rubbed his shoulder where she’d hit him and took a step away from her. “I was thinking that it was better me than you.”

“I can handle myself,” Emma said indignantly because rage was a much than dealing with what his injury made her feel.

“I don’t doubt that love,” he stepped back into her space again and she forgot how to breathe. “But you have people who count on you – your parents, your lad,” he nodded at her stomach, “your babe –”

“And you don’t?!” Emma was yelling now, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. “Maybe you should think next time before you sacrifice yourself.”

Hook shrugged self-deprecatingly. “Who do I have, love,” he asked quietly.

“Me.” He’d asked it rhetorically, but she found herself answering anyway. She hadn’t intended to say it – hell she hadn’t intended to say anything, but she couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. She’d been avoiding him for weeks, never being alone in the room with him – it wasn’t too far of a jump to consider that she may have, perhaps, contributed to his low self-esteem and willingness to sacrifice himself.

But  _oh_  she revealed too much of herself saying that. He was looking at her with a mixture of awe and disbelief, and something else she refused to name. She turned away from him to look back at the fight and noticed that there were only a few stragglers still in the street.

“Where did everyone go?” Emma asked.

Hook shrugged and looked around at the dwindling crowd. Apparently they were so engaged in the conversation they didn’t notice the rest of the fight – which was also something Emma was going to choose to ignore. Emma saw Mary Margaret and David walking out of the library with Regina (who was still alive at least) and rushed over with Hook hot on her heels.

“What happened?” Hook asked.

“Once the witch knocked me into the clock tower –”

“She  _knocked_  you into the clock tower?” Emma asked incredulously, choosing to ignore the significant look that passed between Mary Margaret and David.

Regina huffed out an annoyed sigh. “I hate to admit it, but she is strong – even without the power of the Dark One she would’ve had power to contend with. Once she threw me to the clock tower she appeared up there and tried to steal my heart,” she spoke with a clinically detached voice. “Obviously she didn’t get it or you’d all probably be dead.”

“Why didn’t she get it?” Emma asked.

“I hid it,” Regina said as though it should be obvious. “Next time maybe you two should pay more attention to the villain of the week than each other.” With that Regina left.

Emma was about to leave with Mary Margaret and David, when Hook stopped her. She told them to go on without her and waited warily to hear what Hook had to say.

“I’ve been trying to catch you alone Swan,” he said slowly, “to tell you something.”

Emma panicked, he was going to make some declaration which should could not handle right now with the witch and the baby and –

“I know you feel you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders and I don’t want to be a contributing factor in that. So I’ve decided to back off.”

“Back off?” Emma asked numbly.

“I know you don’t want to worry about men right now – at least other than the father, so I’ll stay away unless you need help with the witch.”

“No!” Emma said quickly, surprising even herself and the  _hope_ that flickered to life in his eyes was impossible to miss, and for once, impossible to ignore.  

* * *

_The missing year_

Six weeks after their date (over three months in the Enchanted Forest, not that Emma was counting) and Emma hadn’t had a moment alone with Killian since; in more than a  _month_. Even without another appearance from the wicked witch, everyone seemed to come up with excuses to infringe upon their alone time together. Henry suddenly really needed to talk to Emma as soon as she left for her second date. Halfway through their third date her parents thought they spotted the witch – they didn’t. There was an emergency meeting that required both of them moments after their fourth date began.

Even when they weren’t on a date if they were alone in the room together it seemed that someone, whether it was her parents, Henry, Granny, or even Neal suddenly needed them desperately that minute– and Emma was sick of it. Tonight was going to be their fifth date and she was so frustrated that her dreams were filled with him (not that they hadn’t been before – but still) and if they got interrupted again she swore someone was going to be punched in the face.

Emma met Killian on his ship and smiled – at least this way someone would have to sail out to them to bother them, and even her parents’ determination to keep them apart wouldn’t go that far. Killian greeted her with a soft kiss to her cheek, and that gentle casual affection still sent a shiver through her.

They sailed far from shore, so the castle was nothing more than a pin prick on the horizon and Emma let out a sigh of relief. As soon as they dropped anchor Killian moved towards her and kissed her so thoroughly she was left breathless.

Emma smiled as he pulled away. “I thought we’d never get a moment alone.”

“If I would have known that your parents would enlist the whole realm in keeping us –” he cleared his throat, “chaste – I don’t think I’d have tried to be such a gentleman on our first date.”

Emma snorted and kissed him again, reveling in the feel of his soft pliant lips beneath her own. He wrapped his arms around her and just the thought that they had the entire night before them with no interruptions sent heat scorching through her.

The sun was sinking low on the horizon as Emma pulled a bottle of rum from the bag slung over her shoulder with a mischievous smirk. “I thought maybe I could bring the rum this time.”

“You’re bloody brilliant love,” he said taking a generous swig.

Emma preened under the compliment and swiped her thumb across his bottom lip where a stray drop lingered. His gaze turned intense and he set the rum down to scoop her up into his arms bridal style. Emma couldn’t help but laugh – she hadn’t felt so light in free since they’d ended up in the Enchanted Forest – hell if she was being honest she hadn’t felt this good since long before that.

Killian carried her to the captain’s quarters and deposited her on the bed. Emma landed with a thump and dragged him down with her. She rid him of his shirt and began to undo the intricate laces on his pants at an almost frantic pace. He stilled her hands with one of his, and smirked at her.

“I seem to be far barer than you love; perhaps we should even the score.”

Emma’s smile was downright predatory as she removed the leather vest and shirt beneath, eyes never leaving his as she became as bare as he was. His eyes were blown wide as he took in the sight of her shirtless, and with a strangled half-growl he straddled her on the bed and kissed his way from her lips down to her newly exposed breasts.

Emma’s body arched back of its own accord as he showered her with attention. She couldn’t help but squirm beneath him as his teeth grazed her, itching for him to shift his focus lower. As if sensing her thoughts, his hand drifted down to her leather pants (without jeans readily available Emma finally understood Killian’s obsession with leather). He pulled at the string roughly before pushing them down her legs along with her panties so she could kick them the rest of the way off.

Hook pulled back from her breasts taking a moment to admire her. Emma shivered in anticipation and twisted her leg around his waist, flipping them over so she was on top. He settled his hand and hook on her waist as he stared up at her in awe. She rid him of his pants as well so they were both bare. Heat coiled in her belly at the sight of him and she lunged forward to capture his lips in a rough, desperate kiss.

She whimpered when his fingers drifted between her legs to where she was so very eager for him. His fingertips drifted around almost lazily and she nearly growled, pressing her hips down to force him to give her more. He huffed out a short laugh and dipped two fingers into her making her gasp and grind down onto him. She could hear nothing but the gentle waves rolling under the boat and the sounds of their own racing hearts. His thumb came up to circle where she needed it most and she moaned, letting her head fall into the space between his neck and shoulder.

She was buzzing, on edge and felt fucking amazing but she wanted more – she needed more. She shifted back and ran her fingers along his length – if he wanted to tease her – well two could play that game. The moment she touched him, Killian flung his head back in pure ecstasy before removing his hand and guiding her to him. Emma sank onto him and they both let out strangled sighs of utter bliss.

And when Emma moved – she couldn’t be positive, but she was pretty sure she saw stars. She rocked her hips, rolling them in time to the rhythm set by their own racing hearts. Killian’s hand and hook seemed unable to stop moving, tucking her falling hair behind her ear, guiding her hips, massaging her breasts. Emma was so close. Her hips moved faster and less rhythmically and Killian’s own hips were bucking up into her frantically.

Killian reached between them and then his hand was there and she was falling. Her body shook and she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t speak, she couldn’t do anything other than feel the absolute bliss of the moment. Killian joined her a second later, the warmth of him filling her as she rode out the aftershocks of her pleasure.

Emma’s arms gave out and Killian held her to his chest. And even if she couldn’t say it yet (or even think it), for the first time in over a decade, Emma fell asleep in the arms of someone she loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea when the next chapter will be, depending on my business tonight and tomorrow it could be as early as tomorrow afternoon but might not be until Thursday or Friday. Also okay disclaimer I don’t usually write smut, and I personally don’t think I’m very good at it, so if this chapter sucks I’m sorry and all I can say is I’ll try better next time. As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking; it really makes my day :)


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_Present day_

She was six months pregnant now and it’d been one month – an entire month since she’d told Killian that he shouldn’t stay away; ever since he’d grown  _bold_. More often than not his hand found its way to the small of her back as they were walking, or his fingers brushed hers across the table, he came before meetings about the witch began and stay far after they ended – and the scary part was, Emma didn’t even notice the change.

She would have liked to have been able to say that the reason she didn’t notice the difference was because it happened gradually, or Hook had been stealthy about it – but truth of the matter was, she didn’t notice because it felt right, because it felt good, because she didn’t want to question it because questioning it meant that she’d have to stop it.

It was only when Hook was leaving – after spending all afternoon with both Emma and Henry on a completely un-witch-related movie binge (though it included the wizard of Oz, so Emma could justify it in her mind) – and dipped down to press an unconscious kiss to her cheek (that she absolutely did not lean up into, nope she didn’t) that she noticed just  _how_  bold he’d grown.

Neither he nor Emma seemed to notice until Henry perked up from his spot on the couch as Hook reached for his coat by the door. “Do you think maybe Hook’s the father?”

Emma froze in place; sure she’d misheard Henry – Henry who’d been so adamantly on the ‘Neal is the father’ team up until Regina’s paternity test over a month ago.

“What?” Emma asked dumbly, refusing to look towards the door where Killian was standing. Her cheek where his lips had just pressed felt as though it was on fire and she had to make a conscious effort not to press her palm against it.

“Maybe Killian’s the father,” Henry was gaining enthusiasm for the idea now, practically bouncing in his seat. “We should get Mom to do another paternity test.”

“Henry,” Emma said warningly, “We don’t need to bother Regina to make a test for every man in town.”

“But I’m not talking about every man in town,” Henry said, his voice taking on just the slightest hint of a whine. “I’m talking about the guy you hang out with every day – the one who just  _kissed you_.”

Emma finally glanced at Killian and saw him scratch his ear nervously. “Perhaps you should listen to your mother, lad, and not press the issue.”

Henry opened his mouth to argue and Emma cut him off. “Enough Henry. Killian is not the father.” Even though she knew the words would silence Henry, she regretted them the instant they left her mouth.

“Well that seems a rather hasty conclusion unless you suddenly remember our missing year love,” Killian said with his eyes boring into hers.

“See Mom,” Henry said leaping to his feet, “even Killian agrees with me.”

“Well I wouldn’t go as far as to say that miboy,” Killian backtracked, tugged on his ear and stepped back into the living room, clearly noticing the welling panic evident on Emma’s face. “Once the curse is lifted and the witch is stopped Emma will remember and there’ll be no need for magical paternity tests or anything of the sort.”

Even though his words were meant to sooth, Emma couldn’t help the thought of never defeating Zelena from popping into her mind.

–

The entire two weeks following the incident at the loft, Henry pestered Emma about asking Regina to test Hook to see if he was the father. Ten days into Henry’s pestering Emma finally figured out what was bothering her so much about the idea – it wasn’t the possibility that Hook was the father – it was the possibility that he _wasn’t_.  And wasn’t that absolutely fucking terrifying.

Not only were those weeks excruciatingly long because of Henry’s constant questioning, but because Hook seemed to have made himself scarce as well. There were no sightings of the witch, and therefore no planning meetings – which wouldn’t have stopped Killian from coming over two weeks ago, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Emma was grumbling to herself about the whole ordeal, alone in a booth in Granny’s Diner when the entire ragtag band of heroes burst in. David spotted her and rushed over sitting down with Mary Margaret and Robin Hood hot at his heels.

“Zelena stole my sword,” he said without any greeting.

“What?” Emma asked, wondering if she’d missed part of the conversation.

When Regina and Henry entered the diner a moment later and walked over to join them at the booth immediately Emma had to assume Mary Margaret and David had called them.

“So what exactly happened,” Regina asked, pulling up a chair.

“Zelena must’ve slipped something in my drink,” David said, eyeing at the fresh cup of coffee Granny had just set before him. “It made me hallucinate an alternate version of myself that was my biggest fear – ”

“What was it?” Emma asked, wondering if it was similar to her own as she rubbed her growing belly unconsciously.

David remained silent and shook his head after a moment, refusing to elaborate. “After I beat myself the hilt of the sword I used disappeared.”

Emma forced herself to remain focused on the conversation at hand, not at the man who’d just walked in and headed over to their table.

“So she stole his courage,” Regina surmised, “well a symbol of it.”

 “Like the movie,” Hook said hovering at the end of the table.

Everyone turned to look at him with shock plain on their faces. Hook rolled his eyes and pulled up a chair to their already overcrowded table.

“Yes Captain Hook knows what a movie is,” he said sardonically. “Zelena tried to steal your heart,” he said nodding at Regina, “and Dave’s courage. It sounds to me like in the Wizard of Oz, the lion’s missing courage and the tin man has no heart.”

Emma stared at him, unable to wipe the impressed look off of her face and judging by his smug smile he knew it.

“So the question is whose brain is she going to steal?” Emma asked.

“Maybe that’s what she wants our – ” he coughed and looked away uncomfortably, “your – your baby.”

Emma chose to ignore that slip up – she had to for her own sanity. She also chose to ignore David’s far too calculating look as he glanced between Hook and Emma – it felt like she had to ignore a lot these days.

Thankfully Regina came to her rescue. “No, it may be disturbing, but a baby is an ingredient on its own in many spells. I’d think she’d need the brain of someone older rather than younger.”

“Age is wisdom,” Mary Margaret said.

“Does she mean literally?” Henry asked. “Because wouldn’t that mean the witch would want your brain Killian – or my dad’s – you are the oldest people in town.”

Emma felt fear swelling in her gut and couldn’t shake the feeling as Regina explained that  _yes_  it probably did mean Hook, or Neal – the witch wanted his fucking brain. Emma had to fight to keep her breathing normal and appear as though she wasn’t having a panic attack. One that was sending her heart thrashing against her ribcage and slicking her palms with sweat.  

“Do you feel alright love?” Hook asked quietly, and of course he was the first one to notice her distress.

But she couldn’t, she couldn’t let him or anyone know  _why_  she was feeling panic welling deep in her gut. She took in a deep breath through her nose and nodded, swiping her damp hands across the legs of her pants. The panic wouldn’t ebb though, not until Hook grabbed her hand beneath the table and gave it a gentle squeeze.

She felt the tension within her ease immediately and didn’t think about  _why_. She let her hand remain in his, allowing his calm presence reassure her. She looked at him and gave him a small gentle smile, hoping to convey her gratefulness in the look without anyone else noticing their hands were intertwined beneath the table.

She was unable to break Killian’s meaningful gaze and therefore didn’t see the significant look pass between Henry and David.  

* * *

_The missing year_

It’s not that they were hiding their relationship, because they weren’t. But they weren’t exactly flaunting it either. Emma just didn’t want the pressure of everyone knowing – it’s different when they see her leaning against him, or his hand wrapped around hers – but she felt like if anyone knew that her hair was down loose to cover hickeys smattering her neck, or her trousers hid the beard burn between her legs – well they don’t need to know.

She kind of felt like a teenager hiding her boyfriend, but she couldn’t exactly bring herself to mind – not when it was the first time in her life she had someone to  _care_  about her sneaking off into the woods to have sex with Hook. So she continued to tiptoe to his rooms in the black of the night and sneak back to her rooms in the early morning light. She let her hair hang loose and kept herself from fucking him in public – but only just barely.

It’s been almost two months of them dating; nearly half a year in the Enchanted Forest and the wicked witch hadn’t shone her face in months. Just when Emma’s starting to believe that she might be able to enjoy more than just moments of peace but large chunks of them – watching Henry swordfight with his father in the grounds (who apparently has been suffering from fainting spells which was more than slightly disconcerting), stargazing with Killian, learning archery from her mother and horseback riding from her father – her world was shaken yet again.

Killian had been working on a project in the library for over a month. He’d begun because David asked him a question about the layout of a realm he’d visited, and that had sparked something within him. In all his free time since he’d begun mapping out every land and sea he’d travelled in his extensively long life from memory.

Some maps, like that of wonderland, he only half filled, paths unfinished and sights written, erased and written again. Whereas others were written with such detail Emma had to wonder just how long he spent there. He was working on his latest project while Emma sat on the dark plush chair beside him. She was reading Henry’s latest story – something he’d started with gumption after declaring he’d become an author.

She enjoyed this time they had together, alone from prying eyes and more than once turning into something entirely different than what they’d started. Just as she was considering distracting them both by wrapping her hands around his waist from behind and kissing just under his ear where she could make him hard in five seconds flat, the windows flew open and the witch appeared on  _broomstick_ on a gust of wind.

“Thanks Captain,” she said waving her hand. The maps that Killian had spent months working on morphed together into something that looked far too much like a brain for Emma’s liking.

“What’re you doing,” Emma asked, trying to appear as though she had a weapon more reliable than half controlled magic.

“Don’t exert yourself too much dear, I just need your boyfriend’s brilliant brain,” her nose twitched and the paper brain was gone from the table and in her hands. “I had hoped for the Dark One’s but – ” she shrugged, “I had to settle.”

Killian lunged at her, but before he could reach her she was gone with a maniacal laugh and a green puff of smoke.  

“What the hell was that?” Emma asked looking at Killian.

“No idea love,” he said, scratching his head. He sighed. “I just finished,” he lamented looking at the empty table.

Less than an hour later they had gathered everyone around the round table. Emma couldn’t help but compare the storybook characters to their real world counterparts as they took their seats at the table. Jiminy was clearly the most noticeable change, and she still felt weird when he perched on Grumpy’s shoulder so the man could speak for him.

“What’s going on?” Mary Margaret asked, “why did you call this meeting Emma?”

“Zelena is back,” Emma said.

“She’s been gone so long I thought we were free of that  _witch_ ,” Regina spoke with disdain only she was capable of.

“That’s not all,” Emma said glancing over to Hook who nodded at her to continue. “She made Killian’s maps into a,” she struggled to find a word other than brain but failed, “brain and stole it.”

“Well that’s – weird,” Ruby said, staring at Killian as though if she stared hard enough she could see through his head.

“Well she obviously didn’t actually steal your brain,” Regina said, “your work must have just been a symbol of it.”

“Any idea what kind of spell would require that?” David asked, choosing to stand rather than sit.

Regina shook her head.

“I could do some research on it,” Belle said, which was saying something considering her complicated history with Hook.

“Thank you,” Killian said sincerely.

Even though the focus should have been on finding the witch, Emma couldn’t get the thought of Killian dying at the witch’s hands out of her head since the woman could have just as easily stolen his actual brain – or even his heart.

As the meeting broke up Emma dragged Killian back to her rooms without a word. Silently, reverently she undressed him, leaving a trail of his clothes from her door to the bed. She kissed him thoroughly before pushing him back gently so he was lying on his back across her large canopied bed.

She grabbed his hand and twined her fingers with his, pushing his arm up above his head. She began kissing her way down his neck, paying special attention to his pulse point, sucking gently until he was keening beneath her. She moved downwards, pressing lower and just as she reached his waist she tilted her head to look at him. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at her with awe and  _love._ Emma gasped at the love in his eyes, unable to break his gaze. Maybe she’d suspected his feelings for a while, but seeing them so plainly on his face made her realize just how much he’d kept hidden in fear of scaring her away.

Finally breaking his gaze she dipped down and ran her tongue along the length of him, unable to help the smile tugging her lips as his hips bucked up beneath her. When she wrapped her mouth around him she couldn’t help the surge of heat shooting to her core. Under her skillful ministrations he was falling apart in no time.

A moment later, after he’d caught his breath, he switched their positions and undressed her with practiced hands. Emma fisted her hands in the sheets as he dropped low and pulled her legs apart gently. With a reverent smile he kissed her thigh, working his way closer to her center yet avoiding where she needed it most. Emma moaned and circled her hips trying to get him to move, but was stopped when he placed his hook on her hip holding her still.

She let out a gasp as his fingers dipped into her and couldn’t hold back a scream when his lips closed around sucking roughly. Emma bucked her hips up into his mouth unable to keep still any longer. She was so close, her body was on fire and she felt the thrum of magic pumping wildly through her veins. His teeth grazed her a second later and she was shattering. He continued to pump his fingers bringing her down from her high until Emma was almost positive she couldn’t take anymore.

He climbed back up the bed and kissed her soundly. Emma shivered at the taste of herself on his lips and the words on her tongue for weeks now nearly burst free. She relaxed back into the bed, cradled in his arms – he was safe and that was all that mattered.

In the safety of his arms Emma could finally admit that they may never return to the real world. They’d been in the Enchanted Forest for so long that it seemed pointless to hold out hope of ever returning to the world she grew up in, but with Killian by her side – she couldn’t seem to bring herself to care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re closing in on the end. I had to rush to put this up today because I am going to my camp then babysitting and I’m busy all day tomorrow and Saturday so I’m glad I could finish it now. Next update probably Sunday or Monday. As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking; it really makes my day :)


	14. Chapter Fourteen

   _Present day_

The witch’s attacks were strategic, and spread out far enough that if it weren’t for the constant fear of an attack, things would seem almost normal, apart from the whole missing a year’s worth of memories and being pregnant thing. Other than a couple more townsfolk disappearing and presumably turning into flying monkeys, for the six weeks following the attack on Charming, nothing happened.

Well, it wasn’t that  _nothing_  happened, just nothing happened to do with the witch – plenty of other things happened. Snow began coming home with a stray pair of baby socks here and a pack of diapers there and a pile began to build in the corner of loft. Henry began practicing sword fighting with both Neal and David, and even went sailing with Hook two or three times.

Hook was back to spending time with Emma nearly every day – whether it was at the station (which Emma refused to stop working at even though she was nearing eight months pregnant), Granny’s or even just hanging around the loft, it seemed that over the following weeks he was there more than he wasn’t and Emma was pregnant enough that she was far past caring what he or anyone else (including that annoying little voice inside her head that seemed to think it was a bigger deal than it really was) thought about his presence at her side.

Emma was working at the station alone, doing some routine paper work on a Saturday morning, and just as she was about to leave, David appeared at the door.

“I was walking home from Granny’s and knew you were here,” he said grabbing her jacket from the wrack and holding it out for her. “I figured we could walk home together.”

Emma nodded and took the proffered jacket, not even bothering to try to button it over her belly. As she stepped out of the station Emma pulled her coat around herself just a little bit tighter as the chill of evening air hit her. In that moment she realized that the pregnancy was not the end outcome of this whole ordeal. It was just starting.

There’d be three am feedings and diaper changes, the baby would need a coat and clothes and toys and a place to sleep – far more than the trinkets Mary Margaret had been bringing home sporadically. Even though she’d known this logically since she realized she was pregnant, only now as she wrapped her coat around herself and shivered on the walk back to the loft did the idea really hit her.

For his part, David seemed wrapped up in his thoughts as well, and by the time they reached the loft, Emma realized that neither one of them had said a word the entire walk home. David let Emma walk in front of him into the loft, and though Mary Margaret and Henry should have been there, the lights were off and the house was quiet.

Emma stepped inside and flicked the switch, blinding herself for a brief moment. “Surprise,” a chorus of voices shouted, and Emma had to fight the urge to turn back around and leave.

Pasting on a smile she walked further inside, shucking her jacket and shoes before greeting half the town at what appeared to be a baby shower. A banner was hanging from the ceiling with ‘congratulations’ written on it in elegant script. Blue and pink streamers were twisted together strewn throughout the space, and balloons littered the floor as well. Almost every woman in town was crowded into the cramped living room of the loft and Emma had to wonder if baby showers were even a thing in the Enchanted Forest. She wasn’t even sure if she knew all the people in the room as she was dragged into the center.

It was not as though Emma wasn’t grateful for having family and friends to care for her for the first time in her life; it was just that she was so used to being alone that being anything else felt overwhelming. After playing three, count them  _three,_ ridiculous party games, one that involved guessing how many rolls of toilet paper it would take to completely cover her – then actually covering her in rolls of toilet paper, the false smile that had been plastered on her face all afternoon began to slip.

Her gaze kept drifting to Hook, Henry and David as they sat in the kitchen chatting around the table with envy. When Mary Margaret and Ruby announced that the next game would involve baby bottles Emma blanched.

“Excuse me ladies,” Hook said stepping into the living room, “mind if I borrow Emma for a moment.”

Before even waiting for an answer, he took her by the elbow and led her away from the crowd behind the privacy of the curtain separating the main living area. And oh dear  _god_ she loved him for rescuing her.

Emma let out a relieved sigh before looking at Hook expectantly. “What’d you want?” She asked edging back down onto the bed slowly.

He shrugged and sat beside her with a mischievous smile. “Nothing love, just figured I’d save you from any more torture.”

“Oh my god I love you,” she said without thinking. Her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said a moment too late and shifted her gaze to her belly, rubbing her hand on it soothingly, hoping Hook would think she was talking to the baby.

“It was funny watching you be covered in toilet paper though I must admit,” he said, and it was the perfect thing to diffuse the tension of the prior moment – Emma loved him for it – seriously  _what was that_  it was as if her thoughts were taking off without her permission and she really needed to get control of it before she said something stupid – again.

“You could have saved me sooner you know,” she said shoving him in the shoulder playfully .

“Where’s the fun in that love?”

Emma looked up at the curtain as a burst of laughter permeated the space and sighed. “How long do you think I can stay hidden back here?” she asked.

He smiled at her and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her shoulder gently. His lips were mere inches from hers and Emma held her breath. Her eyes were trapped by his and she could feel her pulse thumping in her veins. They hadn’t kissed since that disastrous day months ago when she ran from him, and Emma couldn’t deny that her dreams were still filled with the feel of his lisp on hers. Emma’s eyes flicked to his mouth as his tongue darted out to wet his lips and felt herself leaning forward ever so slightly.

Her eyes were half closed when the curtain fluttered and Mary Margaret appeared making both Emma and Killian leapt back from one another. Emma cleared her throat and stood up from the bed as quickly as she could (which being 8 months pregnant wasn’t exactly all that fast). And  _oh god_ Mary Margaret was staring at Hook with an appraising look that Emma desperately wanted to distract her from.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, continuing to stare at Hook, who was shifting uncomfortably under her gaze, “but I think we should move on to opening presents before it gets much later.”

“Right,” Emma said, moving to go back into the living room before Mary Margaret placed a soft hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“I want to apologize Emma, and to you too Hoo – Killian. I shouldn’t have pushed for Neal to be the father of your baby so much. I just want you to be happy and I thought Neal would bring that happiness, but clearly for you that happiness comes from – ”

The door to the loft flew open and slammed shut with a resounding clang.

“What the bloody hell was that?” Hook asked as the three of them ran into the living room and Emma’d be lying if she said she was disappointed that heart to heart ended.

Regina and Robin Hood were standing in the entryway looking harried. Regina’s eyes met Charming’s when she spoke. “Zelena stole my heart.”

Robin looked down at the floor as Regina spoke and Emma wondered if the hiding place Regina’d mentioned was his idea – and if it was, how he was still standing. Leaving the guests in the living room, Emma, Hook, Regina, Robin, Mary Margaret and Charming went out into the hall.

“If we were right about the Wizard of Oz movie theory, she only needs a brain – ” Emma said, glancing at Hook warily.

“And according to her, a baby,” Mary Margaret added.

“What if she already has a brain?” Everyone turned to Hook as he spoke.

“I think we’d notice if Zelena had stolen your brain,” Emma said, unable to help the scathing tone of her voice, “or Neal’s.”

“Well the witch only stole a  _symbol_  of Dave’s courage, maybe she just stole a symbol of someone’s brain,” he said.

“But then why would she steal Regina’s actual heart,” David asked.

“Maybe her heart is a symbol of something else,” Robin Hood’s gaze was focused on Regina and intense as he spoke and Emma started to wonder if his distress at the woman losing her heart was due to something other than it being in his care.

“Well either way, Zelena said herself she needs your baby,” Regina said gesturing to Emma’s belly. “So we have less than a month to stop her.”

Emma groaned and placed her hand over her stomach protectively. Planned or not, curse or no curse, there was no way in hell Zelena was getting her hands on Emma’s baby.

* * *

 

_The missing year_

The witch seemed to be their most patient villain yet. Once she’d stolen Killian’s ‘brain’ they went another two months with only one sighting of the woman. She’d tried (in vain) to steal Regina’s heart and other than a couple random monkey attacks, everything was pretty much calm in the Enchanted forest.

Well, calm for most of the residents, Emma on the other hand was pacing back and forth in her rooms waiting anxiously for Killian to arrive. Tonight was the night, they’d been dating nearly four months now and stuck in the Enchanted forest for eight, and she was ready to tell him what she suspected she’d been feeling since before they left. Her heart skipped a beat when there was a knock on the door.

She opened it and couldn’t help but kiss him right then and there – it wasn’t as if the whole castle didn’t know what they were up to by now anyway. It’s not as though their discretion was really all that discreet, she’d passed by maids in the morning wearing clothes from the night before, his hand had been low on her waist and tucked beneath the bodice of her top as they talked to the dwarves, and once there was an embarrassing incident that involved the gardens, a fountain, and hot chocolate that she absolutely refused to speak of ever again (though she’d be lying if she said that that night wasn’t a frequent guest of her dreams).

When they finally broke apart for air Emma dragged him into her room and onto the couch with her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him with a shy smile. With a flick of her hand she lit a fire in the hearth and he looked at her with a surprised smile.

“I’ve been practicing with Regina.” She shrugged modestly, “in case the witch makes another appearance.” Emma still had nightmares about the witch stealing Hook’s brain and felt the welling panic bubble in her chest at the thought.

“No,” Hook shook his head and looked at her with a smirk, “I think you’ve been practicing so you can make your own modern clothes and food.”

Emma knew he was saying that to distract her, but it worked anyway because she found herself rolling her eyes and smiling at him.

“I thought we could maybe stay in tonight,” she said softly.

He tilted his head to look at her and smirked wickedly. “Oh I like the sound of that.”

His hand drifted to her waist where her trousers ended and her vest began, rubbing small circles at the exposed skin there before placing a decidedly chaste kiss to her cheek.

“Killian,” she said causing him to stop and look at her, “I – what I wanted – I mean – ” his lips were pursed as though fighting a smile, “what I’m trying to say – you mean so much – ”

God she was making a mess of it, he was always the one better with words, and while she’s always been more of a show don’t tell kind of woman, saying those three little words was something she knew she had to actually  _say._ She wished he’d say it first for a brief moment as he watched her stumble over her words with a smile, but she knew he was waiting for her to be ready and he wasn’t going to push so she just had to come out and say it.

“Iloveyou,” she blurted so quickly the words bled together.

“Oh Emma” he said with reverence and all her nerves and fears from earlier disappeared at the broad joyous smile that lit up his face, “I am  _so_  in love with you.”

Emma’s heart skipped a beat as the last chink in her armored walls came crumbling down and everything else clicked into place. He  _loved_  her. Killian Jones loved  _her –_  Emma Swan –orphan, thief, mother, savior, he loved every part of her.

She crashed into him; lips upturned as put everything she felt for him in the kiss. His response was no less enthusiastic. She straddled his hips and ground down on his lap, smiling smugly as he moaned.

Killian rid her of her vest and was about to rip through shirt with the tip of his hook when there was a knock on the door. Emma pulled back from Killian and froze. A moment later the knocking stopped and Emma sighed with relief before kissing him vigorously again. Using his hook he ripped her shirt from her and she couldn’t really find it in herself to care.

She whimpered when he surged forward and captured her breast with his lips, and shifted  into the touch. She writhed on his lap as he sucked at her breast unrepentantly. She bit back a scream of pleasure as his teeth grazed her nipple and arched to give him better access when there was another knock at the door – this one more frantic than the one prior.

Emma groaned and with great reluctance pulled Killian away from her by her grip in his hair. His eyes were blown wide with lust.

“Just ignore them love,” he said reaching up to kiss her again.

Emma fell back into her haze of lust and ground down onto his lap while running her fingers through his hair, smirking when his lips latched back onto her skin. His hips were bucking up into hers and she was more than ready for him – for the man she  _loved_  when the knocking became even more persistent.

“Emma,” David said, voice muffled through the door. “Come on I know you’re in there.”

It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over both of them and Killian pulled back quickly, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame it. Emma sat up off his lap and pulled her vest on over her ruined shirt, hoping that the tear down the middle of it wouldn’t be noticeable beneath the leather.

“Hang on a second Dad,” she called.

She readjusted Hook’s shirt so not so much of his chest was exposed since it had fallen open even more than usual and hoped the flush would disappear from both their faces. She took in a fortifying breath and walked to the door while Hook stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, trying (in vain) to find a stance to hide the bulge in his trousers.

Emma opened the door a crack and forced a smile. She leaned against the door frame in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner and not a – ‘I’m trying to hide my boyfriend and his hard-on’ sort of thing.

“What’s up?”

David swayed on his feet and looked past her into the room but Emma held firm and could only hope Hook wasn’t stupid enough to let David see him in such a – state.

“What took you so long to get the door?” David asked, still not looking at her.

Emma ignored his question. “What was so urgent that you were banging on my door?”

David finally looked at her then, before glancing up and down the hall. There were various members of the staff walking up and down the corridor, some of whom Emma didn’t recognize. “We shouldn’t discuss it here,” he said.

Emma started to push him out of her doorway and made to follow him. “Okay let’s go to the conference room then.”

David shook his head. “Here just let me in, it’ll only take a minute.”

Seeing no other way out Emma sighed and hoped that Killian’d had enough time to get himself less worked up. She stepped back into her room and opened the door, before shutting it behind David.

She had to take a calming breath with her eyes closed for an instant before she could face them and the horrible awkwardness of the situation. He stood not two steps from the door frozen in place looking from Emma to Hook and back again. His eyes darted to her torso, and Emma knew he was noticing the torn shirt hidden haphazardly beneath her vest.

Emma knew her parents couldn’t possibly believe that she and Hook weren’t having sex – she was a grown woman from the modern world, with a  _child._ It wasn’t as though they possibly could have thought she was a saint. But still, she could understand that logically knowing your daughter and her pirate boyfriend have sex (a  _lot)_ , and  _seeing_ your daughter and her pirate boyfriend interrupted mid act were completely different.

“I – ” David said, still glancing back and forth between the two of them. “Why weren’t you answering the door?”

Emma cringed – clearly he was in shock because why in the world would he want to know the answer to that question – unless he was hoping for a lie. Just as Emma opened her mouth to say they’d fallen asleep or some other more wholesome answer that none of them would believe, Killian (the dumbass) spoke.

“Do you really want the answer to that mate?”

David’s face was beet red, whether from embarrassment or anger Emma didn’t know, nor did she want to find out. Sensing the impending chaos she quickly derailed that conversation.

“Why’d you want to talk and come in here Dad?” So she pulled the dad card – she reserved it for occasions such as these – and so what if it was a little fun to give her father the panic he should’ve had a decade ago with a teenage daughter going through her rebellious stage.

David visibly shook himself before looking at her. “I came to tell you that Belle figured out what the witch is planning.” He glanced at both their unpresentable states of undress and coughed uncomfortably, “I’ll let her tell you herself since the spell is rather complicated – so why don’t you come to the meeting in the great room.”

“Okay,” Emma said, “We’ll meet you there, David.” Emma glanced at Hook quickly and wondered just how long they could get away with before David would send out the search party.

“That’s alright,” David said, and Emma could see plain on his face that he’d read her thoughts. “I’ll wait for you to get ready.”

Emma bit back a smile, sure it was a little annoying to have an overprotective father when she was almost 30 years old, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little flattered that she _finally_  had a father to care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me foreverrrrr to edit this chapter because my puppy decided she wanted to be the spawn of satan today - but it’s finally up. One more chapter to go. If I’m optimistic I’ll say the final update will come Wednesday or Thursday. As always thanks for reading, commenting and liking; it really makes my day :)


	15. Chapter Fifteen - The End

_Present day_

Emma decided being on the receiving end of the whole running away from anything emotional thing was  _really fucking annoying_. Hook spent the two weeks since her baby shower avoiding her – well not exactly avoiding her physically (though he’d been doing a bit of that too) but any moment they were in the same room together he was all business, and Emma was fucking sick of it.

They were researching in the diner, well Emma called it researching but it was really just a ploy to get to spend some time with him since she missed him – and what Neal always said about missing something popped into her head unbidden. And if she was being honest with herself, she hadn’t even noticed when it took up residence, but there was a warm feeling that spread from her chest to her toes every time she was near him (a feeling that was getting harder and harder for her to refuse to name).

Emma had a hot chocolate in her hands and was practicing the magic Regina’d been teaching her, since she figured it was probably for the best that she got a handle on the magic coursing through her veins, especially with a witch on the loose. Hook was sitting in the booth across from her reading from some ancient tome or another and practically ignoring her altogether. She smirked and twisted her hand, stealing his hook and sending it to hang on the coat rack. A move like that two weeks ago would’ve been met with an innuendo she’s sure. But now his response was, if anything, a little bit surly.  

Before she could ask him what was the matter, Belle came bursting into the diner. “I know why the witch wants your baby,” she said bluntly.

Emma glanced at Hook briefly before fixing her gaze onto Belle. “Why?” she asked, cradling her hand around her stomach protectively.

“The product of the most pure True Love is the only ingredient strong enough to cast a spell that’s never been done before.” Emma couldn’t pretend she didn’t notice Belle’s gaze flick between the two of them on the words ‘True Love’ – she couldn’t pretend a lot of things anymore. “Zelena plans on casting a spell that will transport her back in time.”

“Why would the witch want to do that?” Killian asked, and Emma reveled in hearing his voice again because it’d been something far too distant lately.

“To make sure Regina didn’t get the life Zelena wanted,” Emma turned to Killian as she had an epiphany “to make it so she was never even born.”

* * *

_The missing year_

Time travel was possible – or might be possible – but still, the revelation was just as shocking to Emma as learning that fairytale characters were real. Belle was able to figure out that the only known spell to require a brain was one that had never been attempted before, but was said to send its caster back in time. After that discovery Regina was quick to realize that Zelena was probably going back in time to change their fates.

“But what if she makes it so Regina was never born?” Snow asked.

“Well it would save the villages thousands of deaths,” Charming mumbled under his breath. Killian barked out a laugh; Emma elbowed him in the ribs.

Regina looked at David with disdain but remained silent.

“It’d change everything,” Henry said, “Grandma you would’ve died on that horse and Mom would’ve never been born.”

Emma felt Killian’s grip on her hand tighten and she squeezed back gently.

“We’ll just have to stop her before it comes to that then,” Emma said determinedly, “I’m assuming she needs ingredients other than a brain?”

“Yes,” Belle answered stepping forward. “From what I’ve gathered, it sounds like she’ll need a heart, courage and innocence.”

“Courage would probably be some symbol of it like a sword or bow and arrow,” Regina said, pacing back and forth in the chambers.

“What about innocence?” Emma said, reluctant to ask.

“A baby.” Belle answered. “She needs a baby born out of True Love.”

Everyone in the room turned towards the only Lrue Loves there, Snow and Charming, except for Emma – her gaze remained frozen on Belle. Snow smiled a little sheepishly and shook her head.

“If she’s looking for a baby born of True Love,” she said “she won’t find it here.”

Emma felt her vision tunneling and her only anchor to the world was Killian’s hand in hers. She tried to calm herself down – she didn’t know if she was pregnant, hell if she was it was only just barely, plus it’s not as though she and Killian – they couldn’t be – she was from the real world and – she abandoned each thought before it could fully form.

Since no one was pregnant with a baby of True Love (that they knew of) the came to the consensus was that they had plenty of time to defeat the witch.

* * *

_Present day_

In a whirlwind of activity once Belle told them of Zelena’s plan, they met up with everyone at the loft and attempted to agree on a plan. The only thing they were able to all agree on, was the necessity of a protection spell around the loft – especially since Emma was about ready to pop any day now – and Zelena had at least two, if not more, of the ingredients.

“We need to figure out  _how_ to defeat her,” David said for the tenth time in so many minutes.

“Okay let me just magically remember that my sister melts if you throw water on her,” Regina said scathingly.

Emma looked at Hook, again. And if she was being honest with herself it seemed like she was doing a lot of that lately. He stood off to the side of everyone there, skulking in the shadows as though he’d rather be anywhere than there and it  _hurt_. Emma couldn’t figure out why he was pulling back so much lately, but she was damn well sick of it.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she blurted, only realizing she had just interrupted Robin going over his idea (again) to say something completely random after everyone’s eyes darted to her that. She cleared her throat, there wasn’t really any going back now – everyone probably already knew how she felt about Hook anyway – even if  _she_  wasn’t exactly sure, it was pretty fucking obvious to everyone else in the room. “Hook what’s your problem lately?”

His eyes flashed with anger before he looked down at his shoes and affected a defeated pose. “Nothing love, I just don’t have anything constructive to contribute to this conversation.”

“Bull,” she said, stepping forward, extremely aware of her parents’ eyes on her back. “Don’t lie to me.”

He scratched behind his ear and looked anywhere but at her. “What if I said that it was safer for all of us if I kept quiet?”

Emma looked at him confusedly before glancing up at Regina. “What if we could put up a spell so no one outside of this room could hear what you had to say?” Emma asked desperately, she just wanted  _her_ Hook back (and since when had she started thinking of him as  _hers_?).

Hook contemplated it for a moment before giving a slight nod. Regina waved her hand and the room became fuzzy around the edges. A heavy silence filled the air.

“Zelena cursed me when I was walking back from the baby shower.”

“What?” Emma asked in disbelief, looking him over as if she could see the curse lying in wait just beneath the surface of his skin.

“She cursed my lips,” He finally really looked at her for the first time in weeks, and the absolutely devastated look on his face was almost more than she could bear. “Secifically for you Emma, so that my kiss would take your magic away.”

Emma’s head was swimming, her stomach clenched uncomfortably at the thought that even Zelena could see that something was between them, and not only that, but that Killian had gotten hurt because of it. But a tiny little part of her was relieved, relieved that he wasn’t pulling away because he’d gotten bored of her, but to protect her.

“Your magic is the only thing that can defeat her,” he said, looking at Emma with a mixture of guilt and awe. “Ridding you of that secures her victory.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” he said, looking so forlorn that Emma wanted to wrap him up in her arms and never let anyone hurt him again, “but she said if I did she’d start killing the people you love, Swan.”

And in that moment he collapsed.

* * *

_The missing year_

“Glinda,” Charming said, almost three months after they’d discovered Zelena needed a baby for her spell. “If we can find her, she can tell us what we need to do to defeat Zelena.”

Emma nodded her agreement along with everyone else and tried to swallow back the spit filling her mouth as her stomach churned. Six weeks, over a month of feeling the urge to vomit upon waking (meaning she was probably nearly three months pregnant) and she could deny it no longer.

“Let us begin the search tomorrow morning,” Mary Margaret said excitedly.

Once they’d agreed on where to begin looking for a door in the middle of the forest that would supposedly take them to Glinda the Good Witch, the meeting dispersed. Emma took off, unable to swallow back the need to vomit any longer and ran through the corridors to throw up in the privacy of her own rooms.

Emma wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and rinsed out her mouth with water fresh from her basin before splashing her flushed face. She leaned her head against the water basin. How in the world was she going to tell Hook – she didn’t even know if he wanted any more kids – any kids – she corrected mentally, reminding herself that Henry wasn’t his, even if he followed the man around the castle almost as much as (if not more) than his actual father. She groaned.

“Emma?” Mary Margaret said causing Emma to whip her head around to face her door – the door that she didn’t shut in her hurry to not vomit in the hallway. “Are you – ” she walked into the room and shut the door behind her, “are you expecting?”

Emma didn’t say anything, but in that moment she didn’t need to because Snow  _knew_. “You are aren’t you?”

Emma nodded and swallowed thickly, fighting the urge to vomit again.

“How far along are you?” Mary Margaret asked, guiding Emma to sit on the couch.

“Twelve weeks?” Emma shrugged and tried not to let the panic and fear and _excitement_  show on her face.

“Have you told Hook yet?” Mary Margaret was doing an admirable job of not freaking out, far better than Emma at least.

“No,” Emma shook her head, sticking to two word answers or less.

“You have to tell him Emma, he’d want to know.” Emma remained silent, picking at a stray string on her bodice. “You need to tell him – promise me no more putting it off or you’ll be showing before he knows.”

Emma didn’t like being told what to do, but she knew Mary Margaret was right – she’d tell him – tonight. “I will,” Emma said softly, letting her hand rest on her stomach gently for the first time when she wasn’t alone, “I promise.”

That evening they had a date planned so Emma decided she’d wait until the date was over to tell him – and if the date lasted until tomorrow morning, then it wasn’t breaking her promise to Mary Margaret – well not really. She was wearing the modern clothes reserved for special occasions and was surprised when Hook showed up to her door in modern garb as well.

She followed him out into the woods, where he led her to the meadow where they’d spent their first date. Emma smiled as he pulled modern food out of the bag he’d had draped over his shoulder nonchalantly when he’d come to pick her up. The only difference between this and their first date was that it wasn’t just the two of them – that and the knowledge that a lot more than making out on the picnic blanket would be happening tonight.

When Killian pulled a flask of hot chocolate out of his bag Emma lunged at him and kissed him roughly – bruisingly. She didn’t know if this would be their last night together – even though he and Neal were not at all the same man, after a lifetime of abandonment she couldn’t help but worry that once Killian found out she was pregnant he would leave her too.

He kissed her back just as enthusiastically and she found herself working at the buttons and zipper of his modern pants. When her hand reached through the denim to cup him he pulled back with a regretful groan and tucked himself back in, redressing himself. Emma looked at him with confusion and worry, but his hand clasping hers calmed her nerves.

Killian scratched behind his neck with the back of his hook and got on one knee as he moved to stand. Emma couldn’t help but wonder why he’d stopped kissing her and felt a prickle of fear slide up her spine.

“Emma Swan,” he said. “I have loved you since the moment I met you – and I know that I will love you until the moment I die – likely even longer. I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Henry by my side – so” he pulled his hand away from hers and reached into his pocket, pulling out a ring, “would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Emma’s jaw dropped and she could hear nothing other than her own blood rushing through her veins. “I’m pregnant,” she blurted.

* * *

_Present day_

“Killian?!” Emma screamed crumpling down onto the floor next to him. “Hook?”

“Oh he can’t answer you dear.”

Emma whipped her head around and everyone in the room stood frozen save for herself and Zelena who’d broken through their protection spell as though it were nothing more than a moat beside a sandcastle.

“What the hell did you do to him?” She demanded, pulling herself to her full height.

“Nothing. He did it to himself darling. I warned him not to tell anyone – most of all you, or else I’d start killing the people you love.” Zelena laughed and disappeared in a gust of green smoke.

She  _loved_  him, Emma Swan loved Killian Jones – she knew that now, now that he lay prone on the floor in a crumpled heap and it felt as though she was lying right there with him. She fell to her knees again and cradled his face in her hands, looking up at her parents helplessly.

“Save him,” she commanded, to anyone who would listen.

“I can’t,” Regina answered.

“Kiss him,” Mary Margaret said.

Emma whipped around to look at her mother, tears filling her eyes. “What?” she croaked, still not letting go of him.

Henry bounced on the balls of his feet, “You can save him Mom, with True Love’s Kiss!”

She loved him, she knew that – but how could that save him. She shook his shoulders and whispered come back to me before leaning down and praying that this would work. Her lips brushed his and nothing happened. She’d thought as a pregnant teen left to rot in jail for another’s crime that she’d felt heartbreak, but it was nothing compared to the utterly earth-shattering pain she felt now.

She leaned in to kiss him again, but before she could, a light pulsed and he gasped in a breath. Her magic hummed, and it seemed as though every fiber of her being celebrated in the fact that he was okay – so of course she had to panic.

She stood up and felt eleven months’ worth of memories slam into her, kissing him, sleeping with him, falling  _in love_  with him. But it was too much to suddenly remember a love so fierce (even though she’d felt something just as fierce a moment before) and she had to run. Everyone in the room gasped as their memories returned as well and Emma needed to get out of there now.

Before she could so much as take a step, Killian’s hand was wrapped around hers, and in spite of herself, she felt an immediate, pervasive sense of calm wash over her; which was gone less than a second later when her water broke.

* * *

_The missing year_

“What?” Killian asked, still down on one knee and holding the ring out frozen in midair. “You’re with child?”

Emma nodded. “I know we weren’t planning this – but it’s not like there’s really Enchanted Forest contraception either, right?  So it’s okay if you want to take your proposal back now. I – I’d underst –”

Killian’s hand drifted down to her not-yet-showing stomach and his fingertips caressed it reverently, with the ring dropped forgotten on the blanket between them. Emma was nervous– but if she wasn’t so scared she would’ve realized that his answer was plain in the adoration on his face.

He looked up at Emma and surprised her by kissing her soundly. “ _Oh I love you,”_ he sighed, caressing her face once they broke apart.

He tilted down so his head was level with her stomach, “and I love you too,” he whispered and Emma had to fight the tears welling in her eyes as she finally finally relaxed for the first time since she found out she was pregnant.

Killian shook himself and looked at Emma expectantly. She looked back at him blankly before he scratched behind his ear and picked up the ring again. “So what do you say love?”

A slow smile spread on Emma’s face as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved, of the father of her baby, of her future husband. “Yes,” she whispered, nodding.

A brilliant, joyous smile lit up his face as Killian slid the ring onto her finger, “you made me a fiancé and a father all in one day,” he said and Emma giggled – actually giggled at the astounded look on his face.

“You were already a father,” she said shyly, thinking off the mornings spent sailing with Henry and the afternoons spent horseback riding.

And if Emma thought he looked happy before, he was absolutely ecstatic now. She leant closer and tipped her head forward slightly, pushing her tongue, wet and heavy, into his mouth. He kissed her back gently and lifted her up, shifting her downwards and onto her back slowly before straddling her. Time stood still as his tongue explored her mouth and tangled with hers. Slow, wet kisses became hungry and went on and on for what seemed like forever. Emma slid her hands up beneath his shirt and tossed it to the ground.

His hands were soft yet sturdy as he rid her of her clothes, fingers caressing her reverently each step of the way. Emma sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and suckled it, delighting in the contrast of his soft lips and rough, calloused fingers.  

When he slipped out of his pants so they were both naked, a shivery warmth spread outward from the place where their hips were pushed together. His lips strayed from her mouth down her neck and lower still. The sort of slow soaking warmth of a lazy sunrise spread through her in the wake of his kisses and she couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips. By the time he placed a gentle kiss on her inner thigh, every inch of Emma’s body was vibrating with the steady hum of both magic and pleasure.

His lips closing over her was so slippery sweet that Emma thought she would cry out. She arched into the touch and bucked her hips. Killian’s hand was steady as he braced it on her hip, holding her still. Hook’s mouth explored the junction between her thighs, and she had to fight the urge to squirm.

Killian pulled back slightly, but before Emma could bemoan the loss, he’d changed the angle and was licking her more thoroughly – more deeply. Unable to help it, she bucked her hips up into his mouth, once, twice, three times before he gave a low appreciative moan and used both hand and hook to hold her steady.

Emma’s hair fell in her face and she felt the overwhelming urge to swallow back the saliva pooling in her mouth. She shook her head to get the hair out of her face, unwilling to move her hands from his hair. She felt her pleasure building under his skillful tongue, and the instant his fingers joined the mix she was falling.

She opened her eyes once she’d road out her pleasure, and noticed the entire clearing was filled with fireflies, at least five hundred of them, and she wondered idly if it was her doing. But the instant he climbed back up her body and tangled their lips back together, her mind turned itself inside out, and all coherent thought that didn’t involve  _him_ , left her.

Killian sucked languidly on her lower lip, tasting her deliberately and Emma felt the embers of her previous pleasure flare back to life. Their breath was hot in the space between them, a stark contrast to the chilly nighttime air. Emma kept her eyes shut as Killian ravished her mouth with surprising tenderness. Emma raised a hand to Killian’s hard, sculpted chest and ran her finger nails through the hair there. He moaned in her mouth and the vibrations went straight to her core.

When Emma’s nail skimmed his nipple she felt his bulge jerk against her hip. Continuing their kiss, Emma slid her hand down his chest and followed the trail below. She wrapped her hand around him and tugged twice before guiding him to her entrance.

They sank together on a sigh. He rolled his hips unhurriedly as Emma bucked up beneath him, meeting him thrust for thrust. His hook was at her side as his hand caressed her face. Then his fingers were at her chest and she moaned into his mouth, feeling the familiar tingle of the beginning of her bliss. Emma rutted against him as his pace became faster and thrusts more erratic. When his hand dropped between them she was crashing, hard. She threw her head back and screamed his name as he joined her in ecstasy.  

He slipped from her as they both panted catching their breath. She turned to face him and was met with a completely sated smile, which she returned with one of her own. It was perfect and Emma wanted to spend the rest of her life doing this with him, and with a glance down at the ring on her finger, she realized that she could.

–

Finding Glinda proved easier than expected. The following morning and one trip through a magic door in the middle of nowhere later, Emma and Killian were transported to a snowy wilderness with Glinda standing before them.

“Glinda?” Emma said, approaching the only person anywhere nearby. The woman nodded and glided down from her snowy perch towards them. “We’re here because – ”

“I know why you’re here,” Glinda said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “and I am afraid you are the only one who can defeat Zelena.”

Emma looked at her in shock and placed a hand unconsciously over her belly. “I can’t – how can I beat her, I barely have control over my magic.”

“You can and you will, Emma Swan,” Glinda said, “Only the purest, lightest magic can defeat something so wicked, your magic is born of your parents True Love,” she gestured at Emma’s still flat stomach, “just as your baby’s will be.”

Emma gasped silently, knowing she loved Killian was one thing, but being confirmed as True Love – was something entirely different. His hand in hers suddenly felt both heavier and lighter at once. She felt Killian’s fingers wrap around hers just a little bit tighter and smiled.

“What do you need me to do?”

The instant they stepped back through the door and back into the Enchanted Forest, Zelena was there waiting for them. She cackled wickedly when Emma lunged for the necklace resting just below her throat and froze both of them with a wave of her hands.

“I thought I’d have a little more time before you idiots figured out my plans,” she shrugged and walked forward caressing Emma’s belly. Emma fought against the spell,  _hard,_ but couldn’t move to shove Zelena’s hand away. “Oh well, now I’ll just have to implement the second part of my plan a little sooner.”

Zelena stepped back from her and Emma followed the woman with her eyes, unable to do or say anything else. She could feel the anger and desperation coming off of Killian beside her in waves and hoped to god that the witch needed her baby  _after_ it was born.

With a flash of green smoke a cauldron and monkey appeared before Zelena. Before her very eyes the monkey transformed into a tall, skinny, dark haired man whose eyes were round as saucers as Zelena thrust her hand into his chest and ripped his heart out.

“No, no, no,” he shouted quickly, lunging after her, but with a gentle squeeze he was sent tumbling to the ground.

Heart still clutched in her dark green hand, Zelena strode forward and held it out above the cauldron.

“Sorry dear,” she said insincerely to the man writhing in agony on the forest floor, “but when you don’t love anyone, loyalty is the next best thing.” And with that she clenched her fist and crushed his heart.

The dust fell into the cauldron and the pot overflowed, bubbling with deep green smoke. Emma felt helpless watching, and wished she knew more magic so she could break free of the magical restraints binding her.

“It’ll be hard to defeat me when you can’t even remember who I am,” Zelena said cackling, and with a flick of her hand and a puff of smoke she disappeared.

They were freed from their spell prison and Emma crashed into Killian kissing him fiercely. “Can we stop her?” he asked pulling away from her almost violent kiss.

“No,” Emma said, shaking her head. She didn’t know much about magic, but she knew enough.  “We’ll have to figure out how to defeat her again back in Storybrooke.”

“We did it once,” Hook said, clasping her hand in his, “we can do it again.”

Emma turned to look at Killian with tears in her eyes. “But what about us? We’ll go back to being allies, nothing more – if that.”

“Emma Swan,” Killian said leaning his forehead against hers as he placed her hand on his chest above his heart, “Even if Zelena took away every single memory I have of you, I’d still love you.”

The tears she’d been trying so hard to hold back finally fell. “But I won’t remember loving you.”

With a gentle caress he wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled, “I will win your heart Emma,” he said, as the green smoke began to engulf them, “I am after all, an expert.”

* * *

_Present day_

She  _remembered._ Emma remembered  _everything._ Not only did she remember, but she was also at the hospital, in labor. Her heart thumped too quickly in her chest as she felt the panic and fear well up within her. Killian was her  _True Love_  capital T capital L, and okay so maybe she’d been guessing that he was the father for a while – but to be bombarded with all those memories and feelings  _and_  going into labor in less than a minute would overwhelm anyone – except for Killian apparently, who’d been a steady presence by her side in the loft, on the ride to the hospital, even now, waiting for her contractions to get closer together as he stood just outside the room.

She knew he wasn’t in the room with her and Mary Margaret because he wanted to give her space, because he knew her so well and knew that she’d probably be panicking, but the fact of the matter was, she wanted him beside her, holding her hand – her panic wasn’t because of him (okay maybe a tinsey weensy tiny part of it was because of him) but because Zelena only needed one more ingredient to enact her spell, and the baby would soon be out of Emma’s body’s protection.

She felt another contraction crash through her, and gritted her teeth together, squeezing Mary Margaret’s slender fingers so tightly her knuckles turned white. As soon as the pain passed Emma sucked in a breath and looked at her mother.

“I need Killian,” she said without preamble.

Mary Margaret nodded with a terse knowing smile and moved to leave the room. Pausing just before the door she turned to Emma and spoke, “it’ll all be okay Emma. Regina’s putting up a protection spell as we speak. I have faith in you; you should have faith in you too.”

With that said, Mary Margaret left and sent Killian into the room. He looked a little uncertain and just as confused as she was when he stepped inside. The room was silent, other than their own breathing and the occasional blip of equipment.

Killian tugged on his ear as he approached the bed. “It’s odd when just yesterday I thought I’d never have a chance with you,” he smiled at her just a little bit shyly, “and now I have memories of making l – of having s – ” he coughed a little and scratched the back of his head, “of being together.”

Emma felt a blush creep up her face at his words, and wasn’t that weird because in some ways it felt like she and Killian had done nothing more than kiss, but in other ways, ways that made her heart thump wildly and her magic thrum she  _knew_ it was far more than that.

Taking a deep breath Emma knew what she had to say – she couldn’t put it off she needed to say it now. “What happened in the Enchanted Forest was real and if you’re – I mean if you still feel – what I’m trying to say,” the words were getting all jumbled in the time it took for them to travel from her brain to her mouth and she took a deep calming breath. “I’m still in if you are.”

“Oh Swan,” he said, stepping closer to her and clasping their hands together. “I’m all in, for as long as you’ll have me.”

“Well buddy,” Emma said with a smile, “then I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to be stuck with me for a while.”

“I was thinking forever sounded pretty good,” he said confidently.

Before Emma could respond another contraction hit her. She squeezed his hand tightly and felt sweat bead on her brow, the contractions were getting closer together.

Once the contraction was over Killian looked down at her smiling smugly, “you also forgot to mention that we’re True Love.”

Emma rolled her eyes at him and smacked him on the arm with her free hand. Doctor Whale came into the room then and informed them that it wouldn’t be long now. As he and a couple of nurses got ready, Emma heard commotion in the hall. Panic filled her veins and choked her lungs, she couldn’t breathe.

“Killian,” she said with fear thick in her voice.

Another contraction wracked her body and Whale told her to push. Tears of pain and fear streamed down her face as Killian clasped her hand tightly and whispered in her ear. “I’ve got you love,” his nodded his head to his sword which sat at the ready against the window, “you just worry about our babe.”

Emma nodded and tried to tune out the yelling and chaos coming from the hall. The lights flickered, bulbs burst and with one final push and a shout, her second child was brought into the world.

The moment the doctor said ‘it’s a boy’ and the baby gave a fierce strong cry, was one filled with absolute utter bliss. Emma looked up at Killian – her _fiancé_  (and wouldn’t that take some getting used to) in wonder as Whale placed their baby in her arms.

“Hello little one,” Killian said, reaching down to place a finger in his son’s palm. The moment their little boy’s hand clasped around Killian’s finger, the door burst open to their hospital room.

“Sorry to break up the party,” Zelena said, and with a flick of her wand Whale and the nurses went flying. “But I’ve come to collect a little something.”

Killian ripped off the hospital scrubs and lunged for his sword. Pulling it free of the sheath he swung it at Zelena and was turned immobile by a cloud of green smoke. Emma felt her magic thrumming wildly beneath her skin, the pull of her baby in her arms and the need to protect him nearly overwhelming her senses.

With an elaborate hand gesture, Emma’s baby disappeared from her arms and appeared in Zelena’s. Emma no longer felt pain, or fear, just blinding, white-hot all-consuming rage. With a blast of white magic, Zelena was yanked next to the bed and Emma reached her hand up and pulled hard, ripping the necklace from Zelena’s neck and taking her baby back in one fell swoop.

Later, after Zelena was transported to a jail cell and her family had seen the baby, Zelena’s ending seemed almost anti-climactic. In the end it only took rage and a hand wrapped around silver chain to bring down the Wicked Witch of the West – the Dark One. All that power of both entities was trapped in the emerald pendant Regina stowed away safely in her vaults.

Emma could finally breathe, with no villains on the horizon, and no longer having to worry about missing memories. She held one son in her arms, as her other son peered down at his baby brother from the edge of the bed. Killian stood next to Henry with an arm wrapped around the boy’s shoulders and the other behind her on the bed.

“What’re you going to name him?” Henry asked, beaming at his younger brother.

“Killian and I never really got the chance to talk names,” she said catching Killian’s eye, “but I’ve got something in mind.” Emma smiled.

As a child Emma didn’t believe in many things, but one thing she did believe in, with a knowledge that resonated deep in her bones and seemed to thrum in her veins in the sort of all-encompassing belief only a child was capable of, that fairytales always began  _Once Upon a Time_  and ended  _Happily Ever After;_ and in that moment – with Killian and Henry by her side and her baby in her arms – with that same bone deep level of assuredness, she knew that her story was only just beginning.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we’re done! This chapter ended up being a mammoth, almost double the length of most chapters. Even though it’s over I may write a oneshot or two from Killian’s PoV, or an epilogue, you never know. Thank you so much for the great response to this, I’m so happy you guys enjoyed it :)


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